I Don't Believe In Four Leaf Clovers
by TJ6
Summary: Something completely different. Brooke really was pregnant? How can Jake help her...
1. Chapter One

Brooke pounded furiously on the white door, mindless of the cold ripping at her scantily clad body. Tears were running freely down her face, destroying the make-up she had carefully applied and re-applied throughout the evening.

Jake opened the door to his apartment; surprised to find a shivering, sobbing Brooke on the other side. "Brooke?"

"Jake?" her voice was weak, shaking.

"It's like 1 in the morning... what are you doing here?"

"I-I need your help."

"My help?" Jake stared wide-eyed at the auburn haired cheerleader, _what the hell could Brooke possibly need his help with? _He shook off his reverie as he felt the biting wind penetrate his warm pajama pants. "Jesus, it's freezing, come in."

Brooke stepped tentatively over the threshold into the tiny apartment. She looked around; it definitely wasn't what she was used to. It looked comfortable, lived in.

The walls were painted a deep earthy green and covered in family photos, basketball posters, and a few of Peyton's less depressing drawings. The furniture consisted of a tiny television with a VCR and DVD player sitting on a tall end table, a wooden coffee table, an overstuffed green armchair, a horribly ugly brown couch, and a frilly pink playpen. Paper, textbooks, and colorful baby toys were strewn across the floor and on every available flat surface. _Just right_, Brooke thought, _homey_.

"Sit down." Jake said, clearing a space on the couch. Brooke sat hesitantly on the edge of her seat and clasped her hands nervously. "What's going on Brooke?"

"I... um... well I'm pregnant."


	2. Chapter Two

**AN: **I honestly didn't expect so many reviews. Thank you so much. I didn't intend to post anything; I just sat down and started writing; so I'm not sure where this story is headed at this particular time. I LOVE JAKE but I'm not a particularly huge fan of Peyton. She has her moments but generally she doesn't do it for me, so I decided Brooke. It made sense, ya know, considering... Anyway I'm glad people enjoy my story so far. Please read on.

**DISCLAIMER: **I forgot to do this last time. I don't own any aspect of One Tree Hill, if I did things obviously would have taken a much different course...

"Pregnant?" Jake stuttered. "But how? Obviously I know how-" He babbled gesturing towards the toys and other baby paraphernalia spread across the room. "When? Who?"

Brooke stared at Jake as he continued to prattle on and on, some of her signature impatience sneaking back onto her face. "Jake. Hey Jake! Jagielski!" The brunette finally stopped talking when Brooke's booming voice cut into his questions.

"What?"

"Do you actually want answers to your questions or are you going to continue to ask them pointlessly?"

Jake blushed slightly before gesturing for Brooke to continue. "Sorry... I was just- caught off guard."

"Yeah well... Anyway..."

"So when? And who?"

"I just found out... and Lucas." Brooke whispered his name so quietly that Jake hardly heard her.

"I don't know exactly who you said, but I'm assuming it's Mr. Tall, Blonde, and Broody." She nodded miserably, some of the vulnerability creeping back into her face. "What did he say when you told him?" Brooke looked desperately around the room, anything to avoid Jake's glance. "You haven't told him, have you?"

"I-" She was cut off by a baby's cry.

"Hold on a second. That's Jenny."

Brooke nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. "Yeah..."

"Just... Wait here."

Brooke just nodded again and sunk further into the couch, then she smirked the ugly couch did have its merits. It was the most comfortable thing she'd ever sat on. She picked up one of the papers on the coffee table and began to skim it.

When Jake walked back into the living room, carrying Jenny, Brooke was bent over the table, apparently doing his math homework. "Brooke?" Brooke's head snapped up and she dropped the pencil she had been using. "What are you doing?"

Brooke looked at the papers on the table then back at the skeptical Jake. "I was just- It just- Your answer was wrong."

"What?"

"The answer it's 4404.3157 not 1471.412." Jake sat down next to Brooke and glanced at the question. "You're supposed to subtract 27 per cent of the original number not 73 per cent."

"How did you know that?"

Brooke shrugged. "I don't know. Listen, I'm sorry for barging in on you like this. I don't know what I was thinking. It's just I didn't know who else to talk to. I mean you obviously have experience in this type of thing. I just- I'll go now." She stood up and started to leave when Jake's voice stopped her.

"Brooke. Have you met my daughter?"

She turned around and looked at him "What?"

"Have you met my daughter?"

Brooke took a few steps towards the couch. "No, not really. I mean I saw her when you brought her to Karen's that one night..."

Jake stood up and started towards Brooke. He smiled when he placed Jenny in her arms. "Brooke this is Jenny. Jenny, Brooke."

Brooke's normally cold, sharp eyes softened as she gazed at the tiny bundle in her arms. "Hi Jenny." The six month old girl blinked her huge blue eyes at Brooke before slipping back into sleep. "She's so... tiny."

Jake smiled again as Brooke handed his daughter back to him. "Listen Brooke, it's late, why don't you stay here and we can figure out what you're going to say to Lucas in the morning."

"I- thanks Jake, but I have to go."

"But-"

Brooke ran towards the door and was gone in a matter of seconds.


	3. Chapter Three

Jake wandered the halls of Tree Hill High tired and very confused by the previous nights visit; Jenny had also woken up at least 5 more times before 6 am.

When he reached his locker it took him 4 tries to get it open, when he finally did he threw his backpack inside, grabbed his History textbook, leaned against the open door and fell asleep. "Jake, hey, Jake?" the exhausted brunette woke suddenly to Peyton poking him in the stomach.

"Hey Peyton." He mumbled tiredly before yawning and stretching slowly. "What's going on?"

"Not much." Jake nodded; this is how many of their conversations went. Not much was said, but there was a comfortable _knowing_ between them. "Late night?"

"Jenny kept me up all night." He carefully avoided mentioning Brooke's visit; in his sleep deprived state of mind he wasn't entirely sure it had happened at all.

Peyton nodded sympathetically before veering off to her English class. "I'll see you later alright?"

Jake nodded again and continued down the hall. He was literally pulled off his feet and into a janitor's closet as he rounded the corner. "What the hell?"

"Shh. It's me."

"Brooke? What the hell are you doing? I'm going to be really late for History..."

"I needed to talk to you."

"There's a perfectly good hallway outside."

"I didn't want people to see me talking to you."

"Ashamed?" Jake asked jokingly.

"No, shut up, Jagielski." Jake smirked a bit in the dark, it was much easier to deal with Brooke when she was her regular impatient kiss-my-ass-I'm-hot-and-I-know-it self, rather than the vulnerable, insecure side she had showed him the night before. He wondered briefly if anyone had ever seen that side of her before. "Jake, are you listening to me?"

"What? No, not really."

Brooke sighed in her typical fashion. "Pay attention."

"Yes ma'am."

"I saw you with Peyton. You didn't say anything to her, did you?"

"Yes Brooke. I blurted out the entire story to her." Jake replied sarcastically. 'Who do you think I am, Brooke? You came to me in confidence, I'm assuming, seeing as you haven't even told Lucas yet, I wouldn't do that. You don't know me very well, do you?"

"It's just... I'm having trouble trusting people lately; especially cheerleaders and basketball players." The last part was added on quietly.

"Listen Brooke, I know something is going on, I'm not stupid. I'm not going to get in the middle though; I have my own problems to worry about." Brooke winced at that, it was her fault that Nicki was back in Jake and Jenny's lives. "Is there anything else you wanted to say, or can I go to class?"

"I just was wondering..."

"Wondering?"

"Could I maybe spend some time with you and Jenny? You know, 'cause I don't have much experience with kids and I-"

Jake considered her request carefully for a minute. "I have one condition." Brooke looked expectantly at him. "You have to tell Lucas."

"I-"

"It doesn't have to be right now, but you have to tell him."

As much as it pained Brooke to think about talking to Lucas she nodded. "Okay."

"Alright then." Jake said holding out a hand. Brooke smiled slightly and shook Jake's proffered hand. With his other hand Jake opened the closet door. "After school."

Brooke nodded again as they stepped into the light of the hallway. "Yeah."

"Tonight, Brooke. You know where I live." Brooke smiled as he ran down the hall towards his class. She then meandered slowly towards her own class, oblivious to the very confused Haley James standing in the hallway, gaping.


	4. Chapter Four

Haley got back to English and sat quietly in her seat. She tried to come up with as many logical explanations for Brooke and Jake being together in a janitor's closet as she could, but they were coming few and far between. She didn't even notice as Lucas tried to get her attention.

"Haley? Hales, snap out of it?"

"What? Oh, sorry Luke. I was just thinking about something..."

"You? Haley James thinking? Hold on a second, my world's falling apart."

"Shut up." Haley laughed and punched him lightly on the arm. "Seriously though, have you noticed anything weird going on with Brooke lately?"

Lucas cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Umm, I haven't really talked to Brooke lately..."

Haley stared at Lucas for a few seconds before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, Luke I'm so sorry. I totally forgot!"

The blonde smiled weakly. "Don't worry about it."

"Mr. Scott, Ms. James, do you two have something to share?" Their teacher looked at them disapprovingly.

"Sorry Mr. Jansen. It won't happen again." Haley said sedately. She blinked her eyes innocently at the balding man.

"Yes well... See that it doesn't."

Lucas smirked at her when Mr. Jansen turned back towards the blackboard. Haley smirked back and tried to turn her attention back to the lesson, but the image of Brooke and Jake emerging from the closet was at the forefront of her mind.

* * *

"Hey Nathan!"

"Jake." Nathan nodded at his teammate. "What's up?"

"Listen man, I can't make it to practice today."

"Whitey's gonna flip, you know how he's been since we got into the finals."

"Yeah... I need you to tell him for me."

"Me?" Jake nodded "Whitey already hates my guts man, he'll see right through me if I try to lie for you."

"So don't lie." Jake shrugged "Tell him my babysitter canceled and I had to go home to take care of Jenny."

"Can't you get Peyton to watch her for you?"

"Nah man, she's been fussy, I think she's getting sick..."

"Why can't you tell him?"

"I promised Peyton I'd go to Karen's with her for lunch and I gotta get home right after school."

"Alright man, see you at practice tomorrow?"

"If the little lady hasn't come down with something." Jake smiled. He started backing away from Nathan as Haley walked up to them. "Hey Haley."

"Yeah, hi." Haley said, not looking him in the eye. Jake shrugged and ran towards his next class.

"You alright?" Nathan asked his girlfriend as he draped his arm about her shoulders.

"Yeah." Haley answered, giving him a fake smile. "You were just talking to Jake, right?"

"Yeah." Nathan said, nodding to a few of his acquaintances as they walked through the hall. "Why?"

"Did you notice anything weird about him today?"

"Not really. He can't come to practice today, but that's 'cause he thinks Jenny's sick."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

The two continued to walk in silence until Tim showed up. "Hey man."

"Hey Tim." Nathan answered slapping Tim's back with his free hand.

Haley smiled distractedly at Tim and slipped out from under Nathan's arm. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Nathan nodded and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "You sure you're okay?"

Haley smiled, a real smile, "I'm fine. Get to class."

Nathan nodded and watched as Haley turned the corner. "So what's up man?"

* * *

"What's going on Jake?" Peyton asked as the two sat in a booth at Karen's Café. He had barely touched his food.

"Nothing really." Jake responded poking at his sandwich with a fork. "I think Jenny's coming down with something." Peyton nodded. "It's weird being a parent, you know? It's like, suddenly life before your child was so meaningless and selfish."

Peyton looked at Jake. "What brought all this on?"

"Nothing really." Jake said again, still poking at his food. "What's going on with you, Peyt? What's going on with you and Brooke?"

Peyton looked down at her half empty bowl of soup. "Things are complicated." Jake looked at her patiently. "I kissed Lucas... more like made out with him actually..."

"And she still had feelings for him?"

"Well yeah, they were still dating at the time..."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So you want to go back to school?"

"Yeah." Peyton said, relieved.

The two teens stood up simultaneously and walked over to the counter where Karen was ringing up an order. "Are you two going?" They nodded. "I'll see you guys later, okay? And Jake you bring your little girl soon."

Jake smiled and nodded "Bye Karen."

Karen smiled back "Bye." She turned away to help another customer before she could say anything else.

"So..." Peyton started as they got back into her car. "You want me to come by tonight? To see Jenny?"

"Actually I think I'm gonna do some father/daughter stuff with her today."

Peyton nodded "Okay." She turned up the volume on her CD player and the two returned to school without saying a single word to each other.

"I'll see you later." Jake said as he grabbed his backpack from her car.

"Yeah." Peyton nodded. She sighed as he walked away; he was hiding something from her.


	5. Chapter Five

**AN: **Thank everyone SO much for reviewing my story. It really means a lot. I apologize if anyone seems out of character, but honestly if someone as moody as Brooke already is were pregnant do you think she would just get on with everyday life? I'm sure you just want me to get on with it though, so here goes... Chapter five.

* * *

Brooke stood at the front door of Jake's apartment for the second time in two days, well technically the second time in the same day. It looked different in daylight. She was about to turn and walk away when the front door opened. "Brooke?" Jake asked, holding a crying Jenny to his chest. "Where are you going?"

"Um, nowhere... I just-" she didn't finish her thought as Jenny continued to wail. "What's wrong with her?"

Jake sighed and bounced her lightly in his arms. "I think she's coming down with something... Do you want to come in?"

Brooke stepped into his home nervously "Shouldn't you take her to the doctor or something?"

Jake shook his head "Dr. Feldman, that's Jenny's pediatrician, is out of town for the week."

"Oh."

"She'll be alright though, won't you, baby?" Jake asked his daughter as he laid her down in the playpen. Jenny let out a frustrated cry as he set her down. "Okay, okay. It's alright." He picked her back up and started bouncing her again. "Shh, shh. It's alright, baby. It's okay..." Jenny's cries became louder and louder. "Come on Jenny..." Jake said almost desperately. "It's okay."

"Jake?" Brooke asked timidly from the couch "Do you think I could try? Maybe?"

Jake looked over at her, surprised "Sure. I don't think it could get much worse..." As if on cue Jenny let out a specifically piercing shriek.

Brooke looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms as Jake settled her there. "Hi Jenny..." Brooke whispered as the crying baby blinked wet eyes at her. "You're okay, aren't you?" Jenny's cries began to quiet as Brooke softly rubbed a continuous circle on her forehead with her thumb. "You're just a little tired, huh?" Jake looked on in wonder as the little girl fell asleep in minutes.

"Where did you learn how to do that?"

Brooke shrugged "My nanny told me that that's what she did to me when I was fussy."

"Well," Jake smiled "I might just have to keep you on. Follow me," he motioned for Brooke to follow him down a small hallway. "I'll show you where Jenny's room is."

Brooke shifted the baby in her arms and followed him. Jake turned into the first room on the right and motioned, once again, for Brooke to follow him. Jenny's room was small, but not tiny. It had a baby blue ceiling and walls; the ceiling had puffy white clouds painted on it that matched the rest of the white furniture in the room. The most beautiful thing about though, was the collage that had obviously been made by Peyton. There were sketches of Jenny, of Jake, of the two of them together, and there were also photos of them together too. Not just standard studio portraits, but candid shots, pictures that let all the love that Jake had for his daughter shine through.

Jake had Brooke lay Jenny down in her crib, and grabbed one of the white baby monitors as they left. "Do you spend a lot of time with Peyton?" Brooke asked curiously; for reasons unknown to her she was a little nervous of the answer.

Jake shrugged "Peyton's a good friend and she likes to spend time with Jenny, genuinely spend time with her, not just hold her for a few minutes and put her down." Brooke nodded, a little frown marring her face. "You should give her another chance, Brooke. She's really broken up about this fight you two are having."

"She should be." Brooke said stubbornly. "Though she's not the only one to blame."

"You should really give Lucas another chance too. He's a good guy."

"I don't want to talk about this." Brooke said angrily as she stood up to leave.

"I'm sorry, we don't have to. You really were good with Jenny today."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Jake nodded. "I'm not just saying that. You were."

"Maybe next time she'll stay awake a little longer."

"Maybe." Jake agreed.

"I really should go though." Brooke said as she walked over to the door.

"Okay." Jake nodded again; he wasn't one to push. "You want to come by again on Friday? You could come to Jenny's doctor appointment with me."

Brooke looked at him and smiled a little, a real heartfelt smile. "Yeah, I'll be here."

"Good." Jake smiled back at her. When she got to the bottom of the steps he called out to her again. "Hey Brooke?"

She turned around and looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for the tip on my math homework."

Brooke blushed a little at that comment. "About that..."

"I won't tell anyone."

She smiled gratefully. "I'll see you later, Jagielski."

He laughed a little and closed the door as she left his field of vision.

Brooke's smile intensified as she climbed into her car. Once again the two were completely oblivious as one of their friends watched them part ways.


	6. Chapter Six

Peyton threw her sketchbook onto her bed and started pacing her room. _What could Jake be hiding from her? Why would he be hiding something from her? Had she done something? _Peyton made up her mind, grabbed her leather jacket, and started out the door. _She was going to find out what was going on._

She was just turning the car keys in their lock when Lucas walked up her driveway. "Peyton."

"Lucas? What are you doing here?"

Lucas, too confused to be awkward, grabbed Peyton's arm and took her to her porch to sit down. "I need to ask you something."

"Look Lucas," Peyton started "I was just going-"

"How well do Brooke and Jake know each other?"

"What?"

"Brooke and Jake. You know, do they get along? Talk? Anything? What's the relationship between them?"

"Brooke and Jake?" Peyton repeated, confused "I don't think they really know each other that well... Acquaintances, at most. Why?"

"I just-"

"I see you two are just getting along beautifully, aren't you?" Brooke's voice interrupted Lucas' thought.

"Brooke." Peyton said.

"Yeah, Brooke."

"This isn't what it looks like." Lucas said, removing his hand from Peyton's arm.

Brooke looked from Peyton to Lucas and back again, her eyes were stinging from unshed tears. "You know what?" She asked angrily, trying to mask the hurt. "I don't even care anymore... just don't talk to me, okay? I don't want to deal with either of you. At all."

"Brooke." Lucas said rising from his seat on the porch. "I think you're overreacting a little bit-"

"Overreacting?" Brooke shouted, jabbing Lucas in the chest with a finger, her previous hurt forgotten. "Overreacting? You know what Lucas Scott? I think you should go to hell!"

"Brooke-" Peyton cut in, standing behind Lucas.

"No Peyton. You were supposed to be my best friend. Just follow Lucas to hell, you two belong together."

Neither Peyton nor Lucas caught sight of the tears streaming down Brooke's face as she whirled around and ran to her car. They were still standing in shock as Brooke's car pulled away from the curb and tore down the street.

* * *

Brooke wiped furiously at her tears, to no avail, as she drove out of Tree Hill. Past the high school, the river court, Karen's, far from everything she knew. She finally stopped several hours later, in a field, as her car ran out of gas. "Dammit!" she screamed as she slammed the door shut. She kicked at the front door of her car repeatedly until she collapsed into a pile of sobs. When she finally calmed down a little she heard her cell phone ringing. She picked it up tearfully and held it to her ear. "Hello?" 

"Brooke!" Came Peyton's frantic voice "Where the hell are-"

Brooke forcefully ended the call. She swore as the phone rang again. "Listen Peyton, just leave me the hell alone! I don't want to talk to you-"

"Brooke?"

"Jake? What- how did you get my number?"

"I called Kara, you know, one of the cheerleaders... She's on the same squad as you."

"I know who Kara is." Brooke snapped.

"Okay." Jake said quietly "What happened, Brooke?" He asked her just as quietly when he heard her sniffling.

"Peyton and Lucas..." Brooke began her tears making her incoherent "They were- and I drove away- my car broke down..."

"Your car broke down?"

Brooke nodded tearfully before realizing he couldn't see her. "Yeah."

"Where are you?"

"I don't know." Brooke sobbed.

"Just calm down Brooke, it's okay. I'm going to drop Jenny off at my parents house and then I'm coming to get you, okay?"

Brooke nodded again. "Okay."

"Now," Jake asked again, as Brooke had calmed down a little "Do you have any idea where you are?"

Brooke looked around her in the waning light of the day. "I'm in a field about 2 hours north of Tree Hill."

"Okay." Jake answered. Brooke heard the crinkling of what must have been a map. "What's the last street name you remember?"

"I don't know, Cambridge... Chamber Bridge or something..."

"Chamberlain Ave. Okay, I'll be there in like 2 and a half hours okay?"

"Okay." Brooke hiccupped. "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you hurry? Please?"

"Of course. Lock yourself in your car and wait for me okay?"

"Alright." Brooke agreed. She winced as she heard Jenny start crying. "I'm sorry, Jake."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Brooke could almost hear the smile in his voice. "How often do I get to be a knight in shining armor?" Brooke laughed in spite of the tears still falling from her eyes. "I'll see you soon."

"Okay."

* * *

Brooke woke with a little scream as she heard knocking on her car window. Slightly disoriented she started to roll down the window.

"Brooke?"

"Jake?" She unlocked her car door and threw herself into his arms. "Oh my God, Jake!" She sobbed. "Thank you so much..."

Jake, not knowing what else to do, wrapped his arms around Brooke tightly. "It's okay Brooke..." He soothed her. "It's okay... I'm here..."

"Jake?" Brooke asked softly, a few minutes later, after her tears subsided.

"Yeah?"

"Can you take me home?"

"Yeah."

Brooke grabbed her stuff and locked her car; she then slipped into the passenger seat of Jake's. She jumped as she heard a soft cry in the backseat of the car. "Jenny? What's she doing here Jake? I thought you were going to drop her off at your parent's place..."

"Yeah..." Jake said as he started the car "Well I was going to, but..."

"But," Brooke prompted.

"I forgot, 'cause I was in such a hurry..."

Brooke couldn't say anything around the lump that had formed in her throat; instead she turned in her seat and, somehow, un-strapped a now incredibly loud and upset Jenny from her car seat. She looked over at Jake as she cuddled his daughter. "Thank you Jake."

"It's not a problem." Jake insisted, though he was blushing.

"Seriously Jake, thank you. I don't know anyone else who would have done that for me."

Jake didn't say anything as he continued to drive.

* * *

"Brooke?" Jake asked as he tapped her on the shoulder. She looked different when she was sleeping, less dangerous. Her head was tipped back, her mouth open, with tiny snores emerging every once in a while. She was clutching a similarly sleeping Jenny against her breast. "Brooke, wake up." 

"Huh?"

"I don't know where you live Brooke."

"What?"

"I don't know where you live."

"Oh, I live over there somewhere..." Brooke mumbled waving her hand in the general direction of the river.

"Yeah," Jake smirked "That's what I thought. Come on."

"Where are we going?" Brooke asked groggily as Jake took Jenny from her and led her by the hand up to his apartment.

"We're going to my apartment. You can take my room and I'll sleep on the couch."

"You don't have to sleep on the couch..." Brooke yawned.

"Don't worry about it Brooke." Jake smiled tiredly as he unlocked his door.

"But-"

"No, it's cool. It's not like I've never slept on a couch before." He led Brooke to his room and watched as she took off her shoes. He grabbed a pair of pajama pants and an old gray t-shirt and handed it to her before grabbing some clothes for himself. He bounced Jenny lightly in his arms when he felt her start to stir. "I'm going to put her down and then go crash on the couch, okay?" Brooke nodded slowly. "The bathroom's across the hall from Jenny's room, okay?"

Brooke nodded again as Jake started leaving the room. "Goodnight Jake."

"Night Brooke."


	7. Chapter Seven

Jake awoke the next morning to the smell of burning eggs. "What the hell? Brooke?"

"Jake?" Brooke called from the kitchen. "Um, do you think you could help me for a second?"

Jake leapt off the couch, grabbing the baby monitor on the way. "Brooke? What's going on?"

Brooke coughed and waved some of the smoke away from her face. "I was trying to cook you some breakfast, you know, to say thank you..."

Jake threw the lid of a pot over the small flames in the frying pan. "You didn't need to do that, Brooke." He coughed as the smoke started to get to him. "Come on you shouldn't be in this smoke."

"Neither should you." Brooke retorted as Jake turned on the stove's overhead fan.

"Yeah," Jake said, "But I'm not, you know..." He gestured to her stomach.

Brooke looked down at her stomach and then, wide eyed, back at Jake. She held a hand over her mouth as if she were going to throw up and ran toward the bathroom. Jake winced as he heard her retching. He opened the small kitchen window before grabbing the baby monitor once again and heading back into the living room. He flopped back onto the couch and placed an arm over his eyes. He removed the arm as Brooke came back into the room. "Hi..." She said weakly.

"Hey," He sat up and patted the place on the couch next to him. "Feeling better?"

"No..." Jake placed an arm about her shoulders and hugged her briefly. "I can't believe I forgot..."

"You didn't forget..." Jake soothed. "You're not used to the idea yet. It's hard to be in charge of not only your life, but someone else's too."

Brooke stared at Jake for a moment. "You're a really smart guy, did you know that?"

"What can I say?" Jake smirked as he stretched his arms above his head. "Beauty and Brains, I'm the complete package. More than the complete package." He amended, nodding towards Jenny's room.

Brooke looked Jake in the eye, a serious look on her face. "Anyone would be lucky to have you Jake."

Jake looked over at Brooke and smiled, she looked so serious, he'd never seen her this way before and he couldn't help but think that he, in the last two days, had seen more sides to Brooke Davis than anyone else had in a long time. He cleared his throat and smiled even wider. "Why thank you Ms. Davis. And might I say ditto?"

Brooke rolled her eyes at him. "You're a weird one Jagielski."

He nudged her in the stomach. "Guilty. Say... do you want some French toast?"

"Sure."

Jake got up and went into the kitchen, Brooke heard him rummaging around, but tuned him out. _How could she have possibly forgotten that there was another life inside her? She must have been in that smoke for a good three or four minutes. What could that have done to the baby? _She felt the tears gather and prick the back of her eyes. _How was she ever going to do this? How was she going to raise a child on her own? Should she do this? She wasn't the motherly type. There were ways to get around this... _Brooke was sitting in the exact same position, staring into space, when she heard Jenny begin to cry through the baby monitor. Without any thought she got up and headed into Jenny's room.

Jake went back into the living room five minutes later, to tell Brooke that breakfast was ready, but she was gone. "Brooke?" Jake stared into empty space for a minute before he realized he could hear her with Jenny through the baby monitor. He walked back to Jenny's room and watched the auburn haired teenager with his daughter.

* * *

Brooke danced around the room, holding Jenny at arm's length. She twirled in a circle and smiled at Jenny's baby girl giggle. "Well let's get you dressed, princess." She set Jenny back down in the crib before turning to rummage in her closet. "What will we wear today? Hmm... Too warm, too cold, too pink... Here we go." Brooke smiled as she pulled the outfit out of the closet. It was a tiny pair of blue jeans and a pale yellow care bears t-shirt. She also pulled out a white zip up hoodie. "Who knew there were such cool baby fashions?" Brooke asked herself as she turned back to Jenny. She laughed as she saw the infant sucking on her fist and laying with her butt up in the air. Brooke laid her choice of outfit on the changing table and picked up the little girl instead. She kissed Jenny's forehead as the baby blinked innocently at her. "How can you possibly have me hooked after only one day?" 

"They do that to you, don't they?" Jake asked from the doorway.

Brooke spun around. "Jake. I heard her crying and..."

Jake held up a hand to silence her. "Breakfast is going to be ready in a minute or two. Why don't you get the little princess ready and come to the kitchen when you're ready?"

"Yeah..." Brooke answered, but Jake had already left. "Well let's get ready to go, sweet pea."

* * *

Jake looked up as Brooke and Jenny came into the kitchen. "It still smells a bit like smoke in here, we could eat in the living room if you want..." 

"Would that be better?" Brooke asked looking down at her flat stomach, which was still ensconced in Jake's oversized clothing.

"I think we'll be alright if we eat in here." Jake said. Brooke nodded and set Jenny into her high chair.

"Ready for breakfast, princess?"

"You're going to be a good mom, Brooke." Jake said as he set the French toast on the table.

Brooke looked up suddenly "What did you say?"

"You're going to be a good mom." Brooke stared at Jake as he started feeding his daughter. "Are you going to eat anything?"

Brooke nodded and began to chew her food thoughtfully. _Maybe she would be able to do this. Jake was the best father she knew, if thought she could maybe there was a chance. She could do it. She would do it. She would, even if it was just to prove Jake right. She was going to be a mother._

"You alright?"

"Yeah." Brooke said with newfound determination. "I'm going to be just fine."

Jake smiled. "Good." They ate the rest of their meal in silence. "What time is it?"

Brooke looked at the clock on Jake's microwave. "9:25"

"Shit! We're so late for school!"

Brooke's eyes widened "I don't even have a change of clothes."

"Okay." Jake said calmly "Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to go take the fastest shower of my life and get changed while you watch Jenny, then I'll take you home, take Jenny to daycare while you get ready, then I'll go back for you. We'll get there in plenty of time."

Brooke nodded "Go. Come on Jagielski, we don't have all day." Jake grinned before he sprinted for the bathroom. Brooke heard the shower start as she put all the dishes in the sink. "What should we do now Jenny?" Jenny cooed at her and grinned as a line of drool slipped down her chin. Brooke could only laugh, "That's gross." She wiped Jenny's mouth with a napkin and didn't even think as she picked up the ringing phone. "Hello?"

"Brooke?"


	8. Chapter Eight

Brooke hung up the phone quickly. If there was one person she didn't want to talk to this morning it was Lucas Scott. Her eyes widened as Jake walked into the kitchen wearing only a white towel and a smile. "Who was that?" She didn't really even hear the question as he walked towards her. His unruly chestnut hair, his easy smile, his beautiful brown eyes, those muscles... "Brooke?"

"Huh?"

"I asked who was on the phone."

"Oh, uh, no one. Wrong number."

"Okay." Jake said skeptically. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." She answered, tearing her eyes away from his body. "Just a little... warm."

"Let me see." Jake demanded, in father mode. He walked up to her and placed the back of his hand against her forehead. "You do feel a little warm... and you looked a little flushed..."

"Uh," Brooke stuttered, backing hastily away from him. She only stopped when she backed into the counter. "I'm okay... why don't you just, um, take your shower? I'm okay, really..."

"You're sure?" Jake asked. Brooke closed her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, go. We don't have all day." Brooke only opened her eyes when she heard the shower running again. "What the hell was that?"

* * *

By the time Jake and Brooke reached the high school it was lunchtime. Brooke breathed a little easier, seeing as the only classes she had with either Peyton or Lucas took place in the morning. "Okay," Jake said, turning to Brooke "So I was thinking that if you're not busy after school you could have dinner with Jenny and I and then we could go pick up your car. I could even teach you how to cook something..." 

Brooke felt a little something inside her melt as Jake's smile lit up his face. "I, uh, I was just going to call some kind of tow company to get it for me..."

"Why would you spend money on something you could easily do yourself?" Brooke sat pondering that question as Jake grabbed both of their bags and got out of his car. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff."

Jake smirked and shook her bag in front of her face. "Come on."

Brooke shook her head in disbelief; he really was something...

* * *

The rest of the day passed by without incidence, Brooke had successfully avoided Peyton, Lucas, and Jake. She wasn't entirely sure what she would say to the brunette the next time she saw him. Things were moving pretty fast, not that she'd never experienced that before, but there were some interesting feelings getting thrown into the mix. Feelings she'd definitely never experienced before. Not even with Lucas... 

"Hey Brooke." Brooke squealed a little as she felt someone grab her waist.

"Jesus Christ, Tim! What the hell?"

"Ow!" Tim rubbed the arm where Brooke had punched him. "What the hell Brooke?"

"What do you want, you letch?"

"Nothing." Tim said, raising his hands in mock innocence. Brooke put her hands on her hips and gave him a hard stare. "Okay, I wanted to ask you what's going on with Luke and Jake."

"What do you mean?"

"The fight they had after last period."

"What fight?"

"You didn't hear about it? I thought everybody heard about it..."

"What fight Tim?" Brooke demanded impatiently.

"Outside, near the parking lot-" Tim didn't have the chance to say anything else as Brooke practically ran toward the parking lot.

"And Tim?"

"Yeah?" he called out to her rapidly disappearing figure.

"Don't touch me again!"

* * *

When Brooke got to the parking lot Lucas and Jake were still going at it. The two were evenly matched at similar heights, and Lucas' speed matched the slight weight advantage Jake had. Brooke caught sight of a bleeding Nathan sitting on the ground being tended by Haley. "What the hell is going on?"

"Nathan tried to break them up." Haley answered.

Brooke shook her head. "I mean that!" She nodded toward the brawling basketball players.

"No idea. Luke screamed something about a phone call..."

Brooke paled and ran impulsively into the fight.

"Brooke..." Jake panted as she stood between him and an angry Lucas "Get out of the way."

"Look Jagielski, I'll do whatever I damn well please. Now get the fuck into your car and wait for me."

"Brooke."

"Now Jake." Jake looked at the furious cheerleader and decided it was for his own good if he backed down.

"I'll be in the car."

"You better wait for me Jacob." Jake nodded as he picked up his forgotten backpack and made his way to the car. "What the hell is going on Lucas?" Brooke screamed turning around to stare the blonde in the eye.

"Leave me alone Brooke." He said warningly.

"No." She refused. "You better tell me right now what the fuck is going on, or so help me God-"

"What?" Lucas screamed, "What could you possibly do to me?"

"I could fuck your life up as badly as you fucked up mine." With that Brooke turned on her heel and strode to Jake's car. The fight audience watched in silence as Jake and Brooke peeled out of the parking lot. _What the hell was going on?_

* * *

"What did you think you were doing?" Brooke asked Jake lowly as he drove in silence. He refused to answer until they were both safely ensconced in his apartment. Even then he didn't talk to her until he had called Jenny's daycare to explain that he would be later than usual. "Jake? Jacob? Answer me." 

"You know what Brooke? I don't have to explain anything to you!"

"What?"

"I don't owe you anything! I don't have to explain my actions or lack there of to you, or anyone! I've gotten this far on my own..." Brooke stared at him speechlessly.

"Look Jake-"

"You know what Brooke? Just go home!" Brooke watched as Jake stormed away from her, she didn't sense anything until she heard his bedroom door slam shut. The cracking sound of splintering wood was what shook her out of her reverie. She made an impulsive decision and followed Jake into his bedroom.

"You want to know what I think?" She asked.

"Br-"

"No, you know what I don't care, you're going to listen to me anyway!" Jake stared at her as she stepped up to him and started jabbing him in the chest. "I don't care what the fuck you think, and if you don't want me around fine. That's your choice, but I don't have to take your shit too! You can jerk other people around, but not me. So when you pull your head out of your ass and decide to tell me what's going on give me a call, but I'm not going to stand around and be your punching bag!" She was about to leave when Jake grabbed her arm and spun her into him.

"I don't need you as my punching bag," He whispered, his breath hot against her face. "That's what Lucas is for."

Brooke opened her mouth to respond when Jake slammed his mouth against hers in a kiss.


	9. Chapter Nine

Brooke felt herself melt against him and was lost in the kiss. She'd never experienced anything like it before; she was always the aggressor... Both their breathing came out in ragged gasps when Jake backed away from her. "Well that was new..."

Brooke opened her eyes and just stared at him for a moment. "I have to go."

"Wait, Brooke!" Brooke was almost at the front door when Jake grabbed her arm and spun her around. Brooke wrenched her arm from his grasp and backed away.

"Don't touch me."

"Okay." Jake said holding up his hands in a sign of peace. "I won't touch you again... Unless you ask me to." Brooke glared at him and turned to leave again. When Jake laughed. "Wait Brooke. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean any of that... Well I meant to kiss you, but everything else..."

"I meant what I said." Brooke said. "I'm not just going to stand around and let you take out your moods on me."

"I know." Jake agreed. "And you shouldn't have to."

Brooke looked at him standing there with that puppy dog look on his face. "I have to go."

"How are you going to get home Brooke?"

Brooke stared at him as if he were stupid for a second before realizing her car was in a field hours away. "Shit..."

"I'll give you a ride."

Brooke nodded stiffly. "Thank you."

* * *

Brooke hardly talked to anyone for the next few days, when she didn't show up for cheerleading practice two days in a row people began to wonder.

She was sitting in English class studiously taking notes when Peyton decided it was time to take matters into her own hands. When Brooke asked the teacher to go to the washroom Peyton made her move. She stood up without saying a word and followed her once best friend out the door. She grimaced as she entered the washroom and heard someone throwing up. "Brooke?"

"Go away." Came a weak response from the corner stall.

Peyton made her way to the stall and jimmied the door open. What she saw pulled at her heart. Brooke, white as a ghost, was lying on the floor next to the toilet. "Oh Brooke..." She was amazed that the opinionated redhead let her hold her hair back as she started to retch again.

Neither of them said anything as Brooke cleaned herself up, nor did they say anything to one another as the routine continued for the next two weeks. Finally it was too much for Peyton to take. "What's going on Brooke?"

Brooke looked at Peyton and broke down. All the emotions and secrets were starting to kill her.

Peyton led Brooke to her car and let her cry as she drove from the school. She parked about an hour later on a secluded section of beach. Neither one of them spoke for several minutes. "What's going on Brooke?" Peyton repeated her earlier question. Brooke remained stubbornly silent. "Listen Brooke. I'm sorry, okay? I made a mistake, I should have thought about you, but I was being selfish. Lucas was there; I needed someone to comfort me... I'm so sorry."

Brooke didn't look at the blonde until she heard a sniffle. "Are you crying Peyton?"

Peyton tried to hide her tears from Brooke to no avail "No."

"Look Peyton, I can't just forget what you did to me. It hurt so much that the two people I cared about most in the world would betray me like that."

"I know-"

"You don't know!" Brooke interrupted "Because I would never have done that to you."

Peyton looked at Brooke seriously. "What's going on with you and Jake?"

"He's helping me."

"Helping you?" Brooke nodded "With what?"

Brooke looked away. "I'm pregnant."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant."

"You and Jake?"

"God no!" Brooke laughed, "I wish."

Peyton's eyes widened in realization "Lucas." Brooke nodded.

"And that's all that's going on between the two of you?"

"I don't know." Brooke answered honestly. Peyton nodded and looked toward the ocean. "You want him, don't you?"

"Who? Jake?" Brooke nodded "I don't know. I did."

"And now?"

"I don't want to ruin your chances at happiness again."

"We both deserve it." Peyton nodded.

"Are we friends again?"

"I think so."

"So... I can help you with this baby thing?"

Brooke laughed. "I need all the help I can get."

Peyton smiled at her and put her car into reverse. They didn't speak again until they were almost back at school. "So why are you avoiding Jake?"

"Avoiding Jake?" Brooke asked, "What do you mean?"

"As a recipient of your avoidance techniques I recognize the signs Brooke."

"He kissed me."

"What?" Peyton screeched. "When?"

"After that fight he had with Lucas a while back."

"What happened?" Peyton was relieved to find she wasn't as hurt as she thought she'd be. _Jake would be good for Brooke, and while it did hurt now it would pass. She wasn't going to lose Brooke over a boy, again._

"We were screaming at each other in his living room and then he went all PMS-y and ran to his room. He cracked his doorframe when he slammed his door."

"Whoa."

"I know." Brooke said.

"I've never seen Jake mad before."

"He looked hot." Peyton started laughing at Brooke's admission and Brooke cracked a smile, it was good to be able to share some of the stuff that had been driving her crazy for the past few weeks. "Anyway," she continued when Peyton had settled down. "I followed him, I wasn't going to take that shit from him." Peyton nodded. "So I get to his room, give him a piece of my mind, and wham. He kissed me."

Peyton smirked at her "Was it good?"

Brooke smirked back. "You have no idea."


	10. Chapter Ten

Over the next week no one saw Brooke without Peyton or visa versa; things had pretty much gone back to normal, or so one would think. Peyton was trying in vain to get Brooke to talk to Jake, as her infatuation with him had waned and she felt the two would be good for one another. Jake, in his own subtle way, was trying to get Brooke to talk to him, while Brooke was just trying to figure things out on her own.

"So what's the plan, Peyt?"

"Not sure yet." Peyton told Jake as she stirred her soup. The two were at Karen's Café, a place they were sure Brooke wouldn't go, trying to figure out a way to get Jake and Brooke back on friendly terms. "We have to catch Brooke off guard and that's not easy, it's Brooke. She can read me like a book." Jake nodded.

"I could kiss her again. That left her pretty speechless..."

Peyton grinned. "That's perfect... if you want her to kick the crap out of you."

Jake frowned. "I don't know, Peyt, I just don't know how to reach her. You've been taking care of her, right?"

"Of course."

"Have you gone to her doctor's appointments or anything?"

"No." It was Peyton's turn to frown. "She hasn't said anything about them at all actually..."

Jake shook his head. "I'm going to talk to her tomorrow."

"How, genius?" Peyton asked sarcastically. "Isn't that why we're here? To figure out how to get Brooke to talk to you again?"

"I've got an idea." Jake said, smiling slowly. He put on his jacket as he stood up, and threw a few dollars on the table. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Peyton nodded as he left, she was confused, but Jake wasn't dumb, things would work out. She pulled her sketchbook out of her bag and began on a new strip. She was inspired.

* * *

Brooke walked down the school hallway slowly, it didn't matter to her if she was late or not. She had more important things to worry about. "Hey Brooke." Haley smiled as she and Nathan passed her. 

"Tutor Girl, Nathan." When she turned the corner she almost screamed as she was pulled off her feet. A hand covered her mouth as she was dragged into the janitor's closet. When the mouth slammed down on hers she knew instantly who it was. She let him kiss her senseless before pushing at his chest. "Jake. What the hell are you doing?"

"How'd you know it was me?"

Brooke blushed and prayed that he couldn't see her in the dim light, she had thought about his kiss constantly for the last three weeks. "That's besides the point. I told you Jake, I'm not some puppet you can jerk around."

"I know." Jake murmured, combing his fingers through her hair. "Look, about the fight, I'm sorry Brooke. I don't know what happened. Luke came at me all bothered about some phone call and I was frustrated because I hadn't been able to concentrate all day... I just, I don't know... As for what I said to you afterwards that was uncalled for, but I already apologized for that and I can only apologize so many times... I'm not perfect."

Brooke nodded and leaned her head into his hand. "I'm sorry I blew up at you too." Jake smiled at her.

"So we're okay?"

"We're more than okay." Brooke grinned slyly as she pulled his head down to hers. "Nobody's ever kissed me the way you do." Jake grinned back at her.

"Good thing?"

"Definitely a good thing." They kissed again, gently at first, but things soon progressed.

"Brooke." Jake murmured, pulling away.

"What?" She whined.

"We've got to get to class."

Brooke groaned petulantly "Come on Jake, I don't want to."

Jake grinned and pushed her out the door. "Come over to my place tonight?"

Brooke nodded and watched as he left her to go to class. She squealed as soon as she knew he was out of earshot. "I've got to find Peyton!"

* * *

The day moved much too slowly for Peyton, Brooke, and Jake. Each of them looked anxiously at the clock all day long. 

Brooke had told Peyton about her closet encounter with Jake and at lunchtime Peyton had offered to take Jenny for a few hours so the two could have some time alone. It promised to be quite a day for all of them.

When the day finally came to an end the three friends met in the parking lot. "So," Peyton began "Can I just pick Jenny up from the daycare, or do I need a note or something?"

Jake handed her a piece of paper. "I called the daycare earlier, give them this and you should be good to go."

Peyton snatched the note out of his hand. "Car seat?"

"I'll get that for you right now."

When Jake left the two 17 year old girls looked at each other. "I'm nervous."

"Brooke Davis nervous?" Peyton asked, genuinely surprised. Brooke nodded. "It'll be fine Brooke. Jake's cool, you know you can trust him. It's not like you can get pregnant."

Brooke glared at the blonde. "Ha ha."

"What's funny?" Jake asked as he returned. He handed the car seat to Peyton and looked from one girl to the other.

"Nothing." Brooke said dryly.

"Have fun." Peyton said teasingly.

"Burn in hell." Brooke retorted.

Jake laughed. "You know how to put in the car seat, Peyt?"

"Yeah yeah, don't worry dad. Everything's cool." She smiled then jogged back to her car.

"So," Jake asked placing his arms about Brooke's waist "I'll see you back at the apartment?"

Brooke could only nod.


	11. Chapter Eleven

_**AN: **I've never actually been pregnant myself so I'm not exactly sure how all these things work, or how long they take... I've done a little research, but if things aren't right I apologize._

* * *

"So," Jake asked. He and Brooke were tangled together on his couch, both looking more than a little disheveled. "How's the little one coming along?" He patted her slightly rounder than normal stomach gently. Her pregnancy was barely visible at this point; you couldn't tell unless you were looking for it. 

"Alright, I guess..." Brooke shrugged.

"You guess? What has the doctor told you?"

"I haven't really been to a doctor yet."

"What?" Jake exclaimed. He sat straight up, nearly knocking Brooke off the couch in the process.

"It's not that big a deal, is it?"

Jake shook his head and picked up the phone. Brooke sighed and wandered into the kitchen as Jake made his phone call. "Brooke!"

"What?"

"Let's go."

"Go where?" she asked as Jake came into the kitchen carrying both of their jackets.

"Hospital."

"What the hell do we need to go to the hospital for?"

"I just made you a doctor's appointment, we have to get there, it's in like," he glanced at his watch, "half an hour."

Brooke glared at him for a moment then grabbed her jacket from him and stomped out to his car.

They drove in silence until Jake tossed Brooke his cell phone. "What?"

"Call Peyton."

"Why?"

"Don't you want her to be there with you?"

Brooke let out an annoyed sigh and dialed Peyton's cell phone. "Hello?"

"Peyt?"

"What's up Brooke? Need me to keep Jenny out later?"

Brooke rolled her eyes. "No. Meet me and Jake at the hospital in 15 minutes, okay?"

"The hospital?" Peyton asked worriedly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine, Jake'll explain everything to you when you get there."

"Alright. See you in a few."

Brooke hung up and looked at Jake. "Happy?"

Jake turned towards her "Not quite."

Brooke crossed her arms and leaned heavily into her seat. "Whatever." She breathed.

It was Jake's turn to sigh "I'm just worried Brooke." Brooke didn't answer, instead she pretended to be interested in the view. "Fine." Jake muttered. He turned up the volume on the radio so the silence wouldn't overwhelm him. Brooke, hating the song, changed the channel. Jake sent her a look and changed it back and Brooke, grinning to herself, changed it again. "Brooke!" Jake whined. "Stop it." Brooke didn't grin until she was facing away from him. _Messing with Jake was fun._

* * *

A frantic Peyton barged into the hospital. She ran up to the nurses' station clutching Jenny tightly and practically in tears. "I'm looking for Brooke Davis." 

"Brooke Davis?" the elderly nurse repeated. Peyton nodded urgently. "Ah, yes... she has an appointment in maternity. She should be in the waiting room right now. That's the third floor, to your right."

"Thanks." Instead of waiting for the elevator Peyton sprinted up three flights of stairs and ran to the delivery room. She stopped as she saw Brooke and Jake sitting on opposite sides of the waiting room. "What's going on? Is the baby okay?"

"We wouldn't know." Jake said directing his comment more towards Brooke than Peyton. "Because someone hasn't even seen a doctor yet."

"Shut up Jagielski." Brooke muttered.

Jake shook his head as he stood up and took his own baby from Peyton's arms. "Hi Jenny." He cooed. "It's so good to see you. You know why?" He smiled when Jenny giggled. "Because you listen to your daddy."

Brooke stood up to say something when an orderly entered the room. "Brooke Davis?"

"That's me." Brooke said, irritated.

"Dr. Hopewell is ready to see you now."

"Is it possible for us to go in with her?" Peyton asked.

"I'm sorry." The orderly smiled at her. "Only the father." She nodded at Jake.

Jake was about to tell the girl he wasn't the father when Brooke spoke up. "That'll be fine, thanks."

The orderly nodded and left the room. "What the hell Brooke?"

"Look, I just want to get out of here, but I don't want to go in by myself. Just play along."

Jake sighed and handed Jenny back to Peyton. "We'll be out in a few, do you mind watching her?"

Peyton smiled. "No, go on."

* * *

"Hello, Mrs.-" 

"Ms."

"Ms. Davis and you must be the father."

"Jake." Jake smiled and shook the doctor's hand.

"So... how far along are we?"

"We're not exactly sure." Jake answered. Brooke glared at him. "This is our first appointment."

"Alright." The elderly man smiled. "I'll just take a blood sample and we'll know in a few minutes." Brooke nodded and sat perfectly still as Dr. Hopewell administered the blood test. "I'll be back shortly, if you two don't mind waiting?"

"Not at all." Jake answered when Brooke didn't say anything. The doctor nodded and smiled as he left. "Brooke?" Jake asked when she still hadn't moved. "Are you alright?" He didn't notice until they were face to face how pale she was. "Brooke?"

"I don't like needles."

Jake shook his head and pulled her into a hug. They were in the same position when the doctor returned. "It looks like we have your results Ms. Davis."

Brooke pulled out of Jake's arms and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "So what's going on doc?"

"Congratulations. It looks like we're already into the second trimester."


	12. Chapter Twelve

"What?" Brooke asked.

"Yep," the doctor nodded looking at his notes. "You're about 13 weeks along already."

"13 weeks?"

"Yes indeed." Dr. Hopewell smiled.

"So what does this mean?" Brooke asked.

"Well..." the doctor began, "We're going to have to take your blood pressure, weigh you, take a urine sample, and we'll take an ultrasound to make sure everything's alright in there, measure your Fundal height, and measure the baby's heart tone." Brooke gulped and nodded. "I'll just get you to change into a hospital gown, if that's alright with you?" Brooke nodded and took the proffered gown into the washroom. "Congratulations, Jake."

"Thanks." Jake said uncomfortably, shoving his hands into his pockets. Jake just stood there as Dr. Hopewell called for a nurse to help him set up for the ultrasound. He sighed in relief when Brooke reentered the room.

"We'll begin with your ultra sound, whenever you're ready, Ms. Davis."

"Brooke." Brooke corrected as she hopped up onto the high table. She motioned for Jake to come over.

"What?" he whispered.

"Hold my hand." Brooke hissed. Jake smirked and grabbed hold of her hand.

"Now, Brooke..." Dr. Hopewell began, turning back to her, holding a tube of gel. "The gel may feel a little cold." She breathed in as he applied it to her stomach. "Now, you shouldn't feel a thing." Brooke nodded as he placed the transducer on her stomach and began to move it around so they could catch sight of the baby. "That's interesting..." Dr. Hopewell muttered to himself.

"Interesting?" Brooke asked a little panicked. "What does that mean? Interesting?"

"Take a look right here." The elderly man said pointing to the screen.

"What?"

"It looks like you're going to be the proud mother of twins."

"What?" Brooke asked, her jaw dropped and her grip on Jake's hand tightened exponentially.

"Looks like you're a bit of an overachiever, there Jake."

* * *

The rest of the appointment passed by in a blur for both Brooke and Jake. They walked silently behind Dr. Hopewell as he led them back to the waiting room. "So I'll see the two of you back here in a week." Brooke nodded and sat down on the couch. She couldn't find any words until well after the doctor left.

"So what's going on?" Peyton asked as she transferred a sleeping Jenny into Jake's arms.

"The babies are fine." Jake answered.

"Well that's good, isn't it? We want the babies to be healthy. Wait... Babies?"

"That's what the man said." Brooke said.

"You're having twins?" Brooke nodded. "Wow."

"Who knew Lucas had it in him..." Brooke grinned wryly.

"You're going to have to tell him soon." Jake said quietly as he sat on the couch between the two girls.

Brooke snorted. "I didn't know what to tell him before, what do I say to him now? Oh, hey Lucas I'm pregnant, you're the father, and by the way we're having twins! That'll go over well."

Jake sighed and wrapped an arm around Brooke's shoulders. "I know Brooke." Jake murmured kissing the side of her head. "But you're definitely not going to be able to hide it for long."

"I know." Brooke sighed leaning into him. "What am I going to do?"

* * *

Over the next few days Brooke retreated back into despondent mode. She refused to go anywhere other than home or school and wouldn't talk to anyone. Finally on the Friday, a week after her last appointment, Jake, Peyton, and Jenny showed up on Brooke's doorstep.

"What do you guys want?"

"Enough of the crap, Brooke." Peyton said pushing her way into the house. "We're here to go to your next appointment with you."

"I changed the appointment date." Brooke said simply.

"To when?" Jake asked incredulously.

"To yesterday." Brooke answered.

"What?" Jake asked, "Why?"

Brooke shrugged. "Well what happened?" Peyton asked, settling onto Brooke's couch.

"Everything's cool. The babies are healthy. I'm a little underweight, but that's it."

"Underweight?" Jake asked, worried.

Brooke nodded. "Relax Jake. I talked to Dr. Hopewell, he said I'm still in the safe zone, but by next week I'm going to be much bigger. I have to tell Lucas guys."

Jake settled Jenny on a blanket on the floor with a few toys. Then sat on the couch with Brooke held tightly in his arms. "We know."

"What am I going to say?" Peyton and Jake said nothing as Brooke talked to herself out loud.

"It'll be alright." Peyton whispered patting Brooke's leg sympathetically.

Brooke shook her head. "I have to tell him now."

"Now?"

Brooke nodded. "Any idea where he'd be?"

Peyton shrugged "River court?"

"Do you want us to come?" Jake asked as Brooke grabbed a jacket and headed for the door.

"Could you just wait here for me?"

Jake nodded. "We'll be here."

Brooke smiled nervously and left. _This wasn't going to be easy._


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_**AN: **I don't own the song Time is Running Out by Muse. I wish I did, it's a great song, but sadly, I don't._

* * *

When Brooke pulled up to the River Court she saw Lucas shooting hoops with Skills and Fergie. Mouth, as usual, was sitting on the sidelines, calling out the play by play. None of them had noticed her yet, so she just sat in her car and turned up the volume on her CD player.

Muse was one of the few Indie bands Peyton had gotten her interested in. She leaned back in her seat and took several deep breaths as one of her favorite songs serenaded her.

_I think I'm drowning _

_Asphyxiated _

_I want to break the spell _

_That you've created _

_You're something beautiful _

_A contradiction _

_I want to play the game _

_I want the friction _

_You will be the death of me _

_Yeah, you will be the death of me ..._

She quickly turned of the music as the song started to hit home. "Won't be listening to that one for a while." She muttered quietly to herself. She took one final, cleansing breath and stepped out of her car.

"Hey, Luke, man look." Skills said, pointing to Brooke, who stood on the edge of the court. In the waning light, it took Lucas a minute to figure out who was standing there.

"Brooke..." He said her name as if he had just been punched in the stomach.

"We're just gonna go..." Skills said, dragging Fergie and Mouth away from the court with him. Lucas just nodded as he continued to stare at Brooke.

When the guys were gone Brooke cleared her throat and stepped into the light bathing the basketball court. "Hi."

"What do you want Brooke?" Lucas winced as the question came out much harsher than he expected.

"I need to talk to you." She answered quietly, unaffected by his abrupt tone of voice.

"What do we have to talk about?" Lucas asked sarcastically, "How I fucked up your life?"

Brooke closed her eyes so he couldn't see how close to tears she was. _Damn these hormones! _"Maybe we should sit down."

"What's going on Brooke?"

Brooke sat on the very edge of the picnic table's bench seat and took a deep breath. "I... Luke, I really don't know how to say this..."

"Just spit it out." Lucas said impatiently.

"This is hard for me," Brooke exclaimed her own impatience and irritation kicking in. "So just sit your ass down and listen to me."

"Sorry." Lucas muttered as he sat down. "So?"

"So... I'm pregnant."

"You're kidding."

"'Fraid not."

Lucas laughed, although there was no humor in it. "Of course you are. And I'm the father, right?" Brooke nodded miserably. "Of course I am." Lucas shook his head in disbelief. "You're sure?"

Brooke glared at him. "Yes I'm fucking sure. Unlike some people I was faithful during our relationship."

Lucas winced. "Sorry... I'm just trying to wrap my mind around this..."

Brooke closed her eyes and braced herself. "There's more."

"How could there be more?"

"Twins."

"Twins." Lucas repeated.

Brooke nodded. "Congratulations, you've got some pretty potent sperm."

Lucas laughed despite himself. "It's not funny Brooke."

"I know."

The two of them sat in silence for several moments: both of them staring into space. "What are we going to do?"

Brooke shook her head. "You don't have to do anything Luke... I've got Peyton and Jake looking out for me-"

Lucas stood up and glared at her. "The hell I'm not going to do anything! I'm not going to turn into Dan."

"Sorry..."

Lucas sighed as he sat back down. "No, I'm sorry... I just..."

"It's understandable." Brooke tried to soothe him.

Lucas scrubbed a hand through his hair. "So what do we know so far?"

"There're two of them." Brooke said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Ha ha." Lucas responded.

"Just a second." Brooke smiled slightly and ran to her car. Lucas sat completely motionless until Brooke came back. "Here."

"What is it?" Lucas asked taking the sheet of paper from her.

"Ultrasound."

Lucas looked at the grainy black and white photo for a few minutes. "I can't..."

Brooke laughed at sat next to him. She pointed out each baby. "There's one and there's the other one."

Lucas nodded. "This is real, isn't it?"

Brooke nodded somberly. "Yeah, it is. Listen Luke," She started after a few more minutes of silence. "I have to get home. Jake and Peyton are waiting for me. You'll be okay?"

"Yeah." Lucas nodded. "I'll see you on Monday."

Brooke nodded when she reached her car. "Yeah, I guess you will."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_**AN: **Wow! I've exceeded 50 reviews... I don't even know what to say. You guys are awesome; I didn't expect this at all. This is the first fan fiction I've ever written and I didn't even intend to write it. So thank you._

_Now, as for some questions that I'd like to answer: I can assure everyone that Jake and Brooke WILL end up together. They are absolutely my favorite characters and I think they both deserve a little happiness. As for Peyton and Lucas... I'm not sure. I'll leave it up to you. Let me know and I'll see what I can do._

_So my question for you guys is: **Should Peyton and Lucas end up together?** Let me know._

* * *

Over the next few days Brooke and Lucas gradually forgave each other.

Brooke in an incredible display of understanding told Lucas she realized he made a mistake and although she wouldn't forget she would forgive. She also said that everything should be out in the open, for the sake of their future children.

Lucas, though he was never really angry, made peace with the fact that there was, or would be, a relationship between Brooke and Jake. _After talking with Peyton it seemed inevitable._

Jake and Lucas had resolved things the way guys do. After a casual 'Sorry man' and 'Dude, that's okay' they were good.

Peyton was just relieved that everyone was getting along again.

This all lasted until Lucas decided he should tell everyone, everyone being Nathan, Haley, Karen, and Keith.

* * *

"Look Luke," Brooke said while pacing her living room. "I can understand you telling your mom, but Keith? Nathan and Haley? I don't know... I honestly have said maybe 4 words to your uncle 'Hi is Luke here?'"

"Okay," Lucas said, "I'll give you Keith, but he'll know soon after I tell my mom. He can read her like you can read Peyton."

Brooke glared at Luke, then turned to Peyton, who was struggling to hold in her laughter. Jake was contently playing with his daughter, who was growing quickly. "Shut up. Alright tell your mom. I don't care."

"What about Nate and Haley? Neither one of them will forgive me if they find out and I'm not the one to tell them."

"No." Brooke said stubbornly.

"You're not going to hide it forever." Lucas said gesturing to Brooke's rapidly growing belly. At this Peyton finally gave in to her laughter.

"It's not funny, Sawyer."

"Yes it is." Peyton said between giggles.

Brooke glared at her, before throwing her hands up in the air. "Fine, you know what? Tell the whole fucking world!"

Jake cleared his throat to get Brooke's attention. When she finally looked at him he pointed to Jenny. "Language." Brooke rolled her eyes and gave him the finger.

"Who else do you want to tell?" Brooke asked Lucas, resigned.

"No one." He said honestly. "Well, actually..."

"Who?" Brooke asked, dramatically draping one of her arms over her eyes.

"Whitey."

"Your basketball coach?" Brooke asked in astonishment. Lucas nodded. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Actually," Jake said from his seat on the floor "I kind of agree with him."

Brooke shook her head and looked at Peyton. "Just fucking great, we're dealing with a group of fucking morons." Peyton laughed again.

"Seriously." Jake said handing Jenny her favorite set of teething rings. "Whitey helped me out a lot when I told him about Jenny."

"Fine." Brooke huffed. "Tell your freaking basketball coach."

Lucas grinned. "Great. Let's go."

"Go where?" Brooke asked tiredly.

"My mom's café."

"You know..." Brooke said, "I'm actually really tired..."

"I could actually go for some food..." Peyton piped up, her laughing fit finally over.

"Me too." Jake said sheepishly, "Plus I have to go ask Karen about the schedule for next week."

"Don't you just work Saturday and Sunday mornings?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah." Jake answered "But I don't want to miss Brooke's next appointment."

"Which brings up my next point." Lucas interrupted. "When do I get to go to one of these things?"

"Well there's kind of a problem with that..." Jake answered.

"What kind of problem?" Lucas asked.

Jake handed a now tired Jenny to Brooke and looked to Peyton for help, but she was wrapped up in her sketchbook. "They kind of think I'm the father."

"What? Why would they think that?"

"'Cause Brooke told them I was so I could go into the first appointment with her."

Lucas shook his head and laughed. "Whatever... we'll deal with it later, but I want my name on the birth certificates."


	15. I Need Input

_**AN:** Alright, so this is just an author's note, I'll update with a new chapter either tonight or tomorrow._

_I've had mixed reviews about the whole Peyton and Lucas thing and to be frank, now that I think about it, it would be weird. So I don't think I'm going to put them together. But this leads to my next question... Should I introduce a new character? I was thinking about it, someone for Peyton... Or would that make it too... cliché? So new poll, and please tell me what you think._

_**Should I create a new 'romantic interest' for Peyton?**_

_I've already got some ideas brewing..._


	16. Chapter Fifteen

The drive to Karen's was definitely an uncomfortable one. Lucas had gone in Peyton's car with her while Jake, Brooke and Jenny were in Jake's car. "You know..." Brooke said idly, staring at Jake as he drove.

"What?"

"I've found I don't drive very much, since we became... friends."

Jake grinned "Is that a good thing?"

"I don't know." Brooke said honestly. "I've always worn the pants... it's different."

"Well our relationship did start off a little differently then most."

Brooke thought about that for a minute. "Is that what we're in?"

"Is what what we're in?"

"A relationship."

Jake shrugged, "Don't you think so?"

"Most relationships I have are over by this point."

Jake tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. "Usually at this point in my relationships the girl I'm with is pregnant... seems like a relationship to me."

Brooke glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Nicki was your first relationship?"

Jake nodded, a little uncomfortable with the topic. "That she was. I was only fifteen when we got together..."

"Okay," Brooke said, changing the topic. "If we are in a relationship we don't know much about each other."

"What do mean?"

"I mean we kinda skipped the friend phase, right? We went straight from acquaintances to 'in a relationship'; the friend part is where we learn about each other..."

"I know stuff about you." Jake defended himself.

"Oh yeah?" Brooke asked. Jake nodded. "So what's my middle name? Do I have any brothers or sisters? What are my parent's names? That stuff should be simple, right?"

Jake didn't answer until he parked in front of the café. "Rebecca."

"What?"

"Your middle name. It's Rebecca."

"How did you know that?"

Jake shrugged. "We can still learn about each other now, Brooke."

Brooke smiled as she waited for him to get Jenny out of her car seat. Okay, so let's even the playing field."

"What do you mean?"

"You know mine, so tell me yours."

"My middle name?" Brooke nodded. "Patrick. And I have two brothers and a sister, and my parent's names are LeAnne and Jimmy."

Brooke smiled. "I don't have any siblings, and Tracey and Edward."

Jake grabbed her hand as they walked to the front door of the café. "So, relationship?"

Brooke smiled and nodded. "Relationship."

"Good."

* * *

Peyton smiled to herself as Jake and Brooke came into the café hand in hand, _finally_. She and Luke had been at his mom's place for just under five minutes waiting for them and the small crowd was beginning to get restless.

* * *

"I knew it." Haley muttered as she saw Brooke holding Jake's hand. 

"Knew what?" Nathan asked her, he was holding her own hand under the table.

"Nothing." Haley answered, smiling at him brightly. "Just a theory."

"Okay." Nathan shrugged. _He would never figure her out_.

Tim, who had followed Nathan to the café, was sitting across from them. Karen was behind the counter, talking to Keith and Whitey and sipping a cup of coffee. Lucas was pacing nervously, stopping every couple seconds to check and see if everyone was there. Which they were. Peyton actually found his case of nerves quite amusing.

"Brooke." Lucas said finally realizing she was there. Jake gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and sat next to Tim, Jenny in his arms chewing on a bright set of teething rings. Brooke walked over to Lucas' side and nodded, looking a lot more confident than she felt.

"Let's get this over with..." she whispered so only he could hear her.

Lucas nodded in agreement before clearing his throat to get everyone's attention. "So..." he began, everyone turned their heads to stare at the two teenagers. "We have an announcement-"

"Brooke's not pregnant, is she?" Tim asked.

The only sound that could be heard in the coffee shop was Jenny sucking noisily on her teething rings. "You're such an idiot Tim." Brooke muttered as she self consciously wrapped her arms about her now noticeably pregnant belly.

"What did you two do?" Karen asked in disbelief.

"Well that's fairly obvious Karen." Whitey said in his usual blunt way.

"Lucas..." Keith's voice trailed off.

"How could you be so stupid?" Karen asked, shaking her head.

"Hey!" Jake and Peyton stood up in defense of their friends.

"You two stay out of this!" Karen said angrily. "You have no idea-"

Jake was more than a little angry when he cut her off. He held a clueless, smiling Jenny up "I think I have a little bit of an idea."

"You're different Jake." Karen said.

"How so?" Brooke asked trying to defend herself.

"He's responsible for one thing." Karen said.

"No offense to Jake," Brooke said "But I don't think responsibility is what leads to having children at sixteen..."

"This is going to ruin your lives."

"The same way you ruined yours?" Lucas asked his mother quietly.

"I didn't say that..." Karen said.

"You might as well have."

"Listen Lucas-"

"No you listen!" The blonde cut off his mother "If there's one person in this room who doesn't have a right to condemn Brooke and me for this, it's you."

Karen opened her mouth to say something else, but quickly shut it. _It would just make things worse. _Instead she left the room, Keith following closely behind her.

Haley stared at the soon to be parents for a few second before getting up and giving each of them a hug. "Congratulations you two."

Nathan got up and did the same thing as his girlfriend. "Honestly if anyone could pull off this dad thing it's you Luke. I mean, you couldn't get much worse than our dad. Hey, I'm going to be an uncle!"

Brooke laughed for the first time that day. "You, the uncle of my children... I don't know how I feel about that."

"Children?" Haley asked "Are you planning on repeating this experience sometime soon?"

"No." Brooke said quickly, remembering the morning sickness all too well "Not with Luke at least."

"That means..."

"Twins." Nathan concluded. Brooke and Lucas just nodded.

"Wow." Haley breathed. Then she hugged Lucas again. "That's great you guys, really."

"Look," Brooke cut in "I'm really sorry, but I just want to go home and sleep..."

"I've got to get this one down for a nap." Jake added. "I'll take you home."

Brooke nodded and let him lead her out of the café.

"So she really is pregnant?" Tim asked, clueless.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

_**AN: **I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a long time. I've had so much going on lately... this was just put on the backburner. Not to mention the fact that I encountered a small bout of Writer's Block... but I'm back now, have no fear. Oh, and thanks for all the reviews. _

_**Countrybutterfly0102:** I seriously considered your suggestion to put Peyton with Skills and while I don't think I'm going to do that in this fic, it's a story just begging to be written..._

_**Tardychick06: **I have to say I also considered your suggestion of Tim, but I decided to make him the comic relief in this story. I thought it might be too much to go deeper into his character when I'm doing that to so many already..._

_**Countertiger-x: **Thank you so much. I've read some of your stories as well and I have to say I like them. They're very original, which is hard considering how many different fics are out there._

**_x3Tinkerbell07: _**_Thanks so much for your reviews. I guarantee you that this is a Brooke/Jake fic. I will be bringing a new character in for Peyton... it's just a matter of timing._

_**Lysser8312: **Thank you. Well we all know that Luke and Brooke have some loyal, if not severely emotionally challenged, friends. I never actually saw the show where Brooke thought that she was pregnant, but I thought that was how Karen would react. Plus everything was going so well... I needed some drama._

_**Starryskyangel1: **While I admit to not liking Peyton I couldn't do that to her. Anyone related to Tim is bad news..._

_**Melissa:** Don't worry; I'm not going to put Peyton with a male Peyton. It just wouldn't work; they'd both be too wrapped up in their own problems. I think that's the reason Luke and Peyton didn't work out._

_**Hanna: **Felix... that's an interesting thought... Just kidding, I wouldn't saddle anyone with Felix, though I think he's an interesting character._

_**Ann: **I think you're right. Lucas needs to find himself before he could be in a relationship. Don't worry though... I've got a character for him in the back of my mind. As for Karen and Luke, there will definitely be a lot more interaction between the two, but not quite yet..._

_**OTHlover04: **Thank you, I try my best._

_**Gossy707: **Thank you. I try to keep the characters as close to the ones on the show as possible. I agree with you though; Brooke and Jake probably wouldn't have worked out in the show. They're too different._

_**Christine: **Your review was the one that made me reconsider the Leyton deal. I'm not a fan of the whole Leyton thing either and you're right, if the two of them got involved the group would become just a little too interbred for my taste._

* * *

"So," Brooke said as she lay entwined with Jake on his big brown couch and Jenny played quietly in her playpen. "Tell me about your brothers and sister." 

"Well," Jake said. He wound pieces of Brooke's hair through his fingers, "Ben, Benjiman, is my oldest brother. He's twenty-eight. He's married to my sister in law, Sadie, and they have two kids, Ella and Bonnie. Erin, my sister, is the next oldest at twenty-five. She's pretty cool as far as older sisters go; she never tried to dress me up in girl's clothes or anything... My friend Rafe, you know him, he's on the basketball team..."

"Rafe MacNamara?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah, he told me that when he was little his older sisters, Keely and Hayden, used to dress him up... You probably shouldn't mention that I told you that." Brooke made a noncommittal noise. "Brooke."

"Fine." She smirked. "What would they dress him up as?"

Jake laughed. "I don't know."

Brooke sighed. "Fine."

"Anyway Erin's cool, I don't think she has a boyfriend right now, but we haven't talked in a while." Brooke nodded. "Adam's my other brother. He's twenty-two. He goes to Duke."

"Basketball?"

"No," Jake shook his head. "Adam's studying Earth Sciences. He was always into baseball anyway. So were Ben and Noah actually."

"Who's Noah?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Noah's like Adam's right hand. He's my surrogate brother, Jenny's godfather too."

"Really?"

Jake nodded. "He taught me how to play the guitar. He's awesome. He goes to Duke with Adam."

"He does?" Brooke asked yawning. Despite the fact she truly was interested in Jake's family she was barely staying awake.

"Yeah," Jake answered "He's in the Arts program, studying music."

"Hmm..." Brooke said snuggling closer to him. "Tell me more."

"There isn't much more..." Jake said, kissing Brooke's temple.

"Sure there is..." Brooke retorted her words were muffled in the crook of Jake's neck.

"Well, one time, when I was four, Ben tried to use me to pick up chicks."

"What?"

Jake smiled "He used to have me run up to girls on the street and then he'd come 'rescue me'." (_**AN: **My Aunt honestly did this with my mom.) _

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. It worked though. Sadie was the one who called him on it."

Brooke laughed "Luke better not do that with my kids."

Jake laughed at that "Don't worry Brooke... I'll watch out for it. I know how scarring it can be on a child."

"Thanks, boyfriend."

Jake smiled and buried his face in her hair. "You're welcome."

* * *

Lucas stood on the Riverside Court not really doing anything; mostly staring into space. When he realized he was crying he tried in vain to wipe his tears away. He finally gave up and sat down in the middle of the court, crying. _If anyone was supposed to understand it was supposed to be his mom. _"Luke? Man, what are you doing?" 

Lucas looked up as Skills approached. "Nothing." He replied hastily, wiping at his tears.

"Are you crying?"

"No,"

"Then what's going on?"

Lucas weighed his options in his head: he could (a) not tell Skills and have him think that he was a weirdo and be hurt that he found out through someone else. Or (b) he could tell him and risk hormonal Brooke's wrath. Then Lucas shook his head, Tim had been there, everyone was going to find out anyway. "Brooke's pregnant."

Skills stared at him for a few minutes, not saying anything. "What?"

"She's pregnant." Lucas said slowly, as if talking to a four year old. Then he started making gestures towards his stomach. "There's a baby inside her."

"How'd it get there?" Skills asked before realizing what he had said.

"Well," Lucas said, grinning "When a man and a woman-"

"Shut up." Skills said punching him in the stomach. "You know what I mean."

"Am I the father?" Skills nodded. "Yeah."

"You seem to be at peace with it."

Lucas shrugged "After Brooke told me I freaked a little, but honestly... now, despite being scared shitless, I'm kind of excited about it. I've been trying my whole life to prove to myself that I'm not like Dan and now I know I'm not."

"Is that the only reason?" Skills asked quietly. "Because if it is-"

"It's not." Lucas interrupted "I couldn't do that to Brooke."

Skills nodded "Good. You've hurt that girl enough." He then tossed Lucas the ball Lucas had failed to notice he was holding. "So, we gonna have a Lucas Jr. to show the ropes to or a Brooke Jr.?"

"Could be both." Lucas said casually as he sunk two baskets in a row.

"Both?" Skills asked "Like twins?"

"You're quick tonight..." Lucas teased his friend.

"Shut up, you asshole." Skills grinned, pushing the blonde and stealing the ball.

Skills was a smart guy, he knew basketball wouldn't solve Lucas' problems, but it, he, could help shove them to the back of his mind for the time being.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Things went relatively smoothly for the next few weeks; it was into Brooke's eighteenth week of pregnancy when things began to get complicated.

She had taken to staying at Jake's apartment, partially to get acquainted with 'family life' and partially because of the comfort it provided her to have Jake and Jenny near her. She insisted they sleep in the same bed, which wasn't a problem until the complaining started. She wasn't comfortable... She had to pee... It was too hot... Jake hogged the covers... It was beginning to drive him crazy.

Lucas smirked at the brunette every time he heard Brooke complain at school. That stopped when Jake started relaying all the complaints to him. Lucas was also in charge of buying the protein powder Dr. Hopewell insisted Brooke eat with every meal.

Peyton did her part to contribute, but she was beginning to feel less and less needed as time went by. She and Jake were hanging out less, Brooke didn't like anyone to go shopping with her now that she had to buy maternity clothes, and Lucas was spending most of his free time with Skills now that he was temporarily living with him.

Skills had been Lucas' saving grace given the rift he had with his mom. His most recent ploy was to suggest ridiculous baby names at the most inopportune times. His favorite name so far was definitely Baby Skills; Brooke was not in favor.

* * *

"Hey," Brooke called out "Peyton, come here!"

"What's up Brooke?" The blonde asked listlessly.

Brooke smirked at her friend and struck a pose, "Do I look fat in this?"

Peyton laughed "Honestly?"

Brooke hit her friend lightly. "No, not honestly. I know I look like a freaking cow!" She said the last part loudly enough for a passing Lucas to hear. He smiled and blew her a kiss. Brooke returned the gesture by giving him the finger. "What I really wanted to know was what's going on with you lately."

"What do you mean?" Peyton asked staring at the ground. "I-"

"Cut the crap Peyton." Brooke snapped, slamming her locker shut. "You and I are spending the day together."

"Brooke, class hasn't even started yet-"

"Screw it!" Brooke declared, grabbing Peyton's arm and pulling her toward the parking lot. "I don't fit in the fucking desk anyway."

Peyton laughed and threw her books into the trunk of her car. "So what are we gonna do?"

Brooke grunted as she struggled to get comfortable in her seat. "Why do they make nothing that fits pregnant people?" Peyton grinned at Brooke's rhetorical question. "Take me to Jake's place first." She demanded. "I have to fucking pee, again."

Peyton laughed and put her car into gear. "To Jake's we go. Then where?"

Brooke raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Surprise."

* * *

"Alright Ms. Sawyer." Brooke said coming back into Jake's living room carrying a red scarf.

"What's that for?" Peyton asked wearily.

"It's time for you to finally let me drive your car."

"Um, no." Peyton said dancing away from Brooke.

"Peyton." Brooke whined in a sing song-y voice. "It can't be a surprise if you know where we're going."

"Brooke-"

"Come on Peyton, please? For the pregnant girl?"

Peyton shook her head. "Just be careful with my car. I know how you drive."

"Excuse me." Brooke said as she tied on the blindfold. "You are possibly the worst driver in the world."

"Not true."

"It is too." Brooke defended as she led Peyton to the car.

* * *

"Where are we going Brooke?" Peyton asked for about the twentieth time since Brooke had started driving.

"Peyton. If you don't stop asking me that right now... So help me-"

"Brooke, honestly this scarf is itchy."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch..."

"You have got to be kidding me." Peyton deadpanned. "You have been bitching and moaning for the last month, at least."

"I have a reason." Brooke argued.

"Whatever."

"We're here anyway."

"Finally." Peyton said, ripping off the blindfold.

"Peyton! You weren't supposed to take it off yet."

"Brooke, why are we at Jake's apartment building?"

"Just follow me." Brooke huffed impatiently.

Peyton sighed and followed her best friend up to the third floor. "Um, Brooke?"

"What?"

"Jake's apartment is across the hall."

"I know that." She said fitting a key into the door. "This is my apartment."

"What?"

"It's mine." Brooke repeated giddily as they entered the empty space.

"You bought an apartment."

Brooke nodded. "Yep. Here's your key by the way."

Peyton just stared at the red head as she dropped a key into her palm. "My key?"

"Of course." Brooke said as if Peyton were stupid. "Now come with me. I need your opinion on something." Peyton nodded wordlessly and followed her best friend. "This," Brooke said grandly "Is going to be the twins' room. My room is across the hall and your room is the one across from the washroom."

"My room?"

"Yes, now pay attention. The doctor said that we should be able to tell the sex of the babies any day now, so when we do I need you to design their room, okay?"

"What?"

"You're the artistic one, everyone knows that."

"Brooke."

"What?" Brooke was surprised to see that the usually stoic Peyton had tears in her eyes. "Peyton?"

The blonde shook her head and gave her friend a tight hug. "Brooke, you're my best friend..."

"Of course I am." Brooke gave her friend a look. "Anyway... hey!"

"What?"

"I think... Jesus, well, the babies are moving."

"What? Really?" Peyton asked excitedly getting down on her knees and pressing a hand to Brooke's belly. They waited for a few minutes. "I can't feel anything."

"Really?" Brooke asked. "Cause it's annoying as hell."


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Brooke woke up slowly, cursing whoever was calling her cell phone. "Hello?"

"Brooke?"

"Who is this?" She yawned.

"Um, it's Peyton."

"Sorry Peyt." Brooke yawned again. "I was just sleeping... What's up?"

"I'm at your apartment, trying to decorate the twins' room... Do you know what they are yet?"

"No. Just wait a second, I'll be right over."

"Brooke, the paint fumes-"

"Relax, it won't be like I'm painting the room, I just want to see..."

"Fine." Peyton relented, "But neither Luke nor Jake find out, they'd both kill me."

Brooke laughed and pulled one of Jake's t-shirts over her head. "Give me five minutes."

"See ya." Peyton said before hanging up.

Brooke hastily threw her hair up into a ponytail and shuffled across the hall. "Peyton?"

"In the twins' room!" Peyton shouted back.

"So what's the big deal?" Brooke asked walking into the room. As soon as she did she stopped; tears gathered in her eyes. "Oh, Peyton, it's perfect."

"I've had some help." Brooke turned as she heard movement behind her. Her tears actually started falling when Haley, Nathan, Jake, Lucas, Mouth, Skills, and Tim came into the room.

"You guys..." She sobbed as Jake wrapped his arms around her. "This is..."

"Now we realize a lot of the furniture doesn't match," Haley began "but that's because that crib" she pointed to a dark cherry wood crib "was mine."

"And that one was mine." Mouth smiled pointing to the lighter oak one.

"Changing table." Skills said referring to the white washed changing table.

"Rocking chair." Nathan claimed the oak rocking chair, which was perched next to Mouth's old crib.

"This is too much you guys." Brooke said.

"Just wait." Peyton said, grabbing her hand and leading her into Brooke's bedroom. Along with Brooke's own furniture were another rocking chair and a large cradle. "The rocking chair was my mom's."

"Peyton-"

"I want you to have it." Peyton interrupted tears now evident in her own eyes. Brooke just nodded and hugged her friend.

"Luke, Jake, and I made the cradle." Tim announced from behind the two girls. Lucas cleared his throat. "Okay, well, Lucas and Jake made it. I supervised and bought the wood."

"We made it big, because I read somewhere that twins sometimes don't like to be separated right after birth." Luke said, watching as Brooke ran a hand over the smooth wood.

Brooke shook her head and hugged each of her friends. "Thank you guys so much. This is... perfect."

"We're here for you Brooke." Haley smiled when the crying red head hugged her.

"I hate to break this up." Jake said "But we have a doctor's appointment in about half an hour."

"Right." Brooke sniffed. "I'm going to get ready. Will you guys come with?"

"All of us?" Luke asked.

"Of course." Brooke nodded.

"But Brooke, they won't let us all in."

"They will if the pregnant girl has anything to say about it."

* * *

"I'm sorry Ms." The orderly said meekly, "but I can't let everyone into the room with you."

"Where's Doctor Hopewell?"

"He's prepping the room."

"I want to talk to him."

"Ms.-"

"Now."

"I suggest you listen to her." Nathan stage whispered. "She scary enough when she's not hopped up on pregnancy hormones... I don't really want to see what could happen to you if-"

"Shut up Nathan." Brooke glared at him.

"Um, I'll just go get the Doctor." The orderly said nervously.

"You do that." Brooke said haughtily.

Luke laughed and wrapped an arm about Brooke's shoulders. "That was great Brooke."

"Ms. Davis." Dr. Hopewell smiled as he came into the hallway. "How are we doing today?"

"We would be much better if my friends could come into the appointment with us."

"Ms Davis-"

"Please?" Brooke asked blinking innocent eyes at him.

"If you think that I'm going to fall for that, Ms Davis, you would be mistaken."

"Please, Doctor," Jake implored "We would really appreciate it."

"I really can't-"

"We won't be any trouble." Peyton added.

Luke nodded and looked pleadingly at the doctor.

It was when Haley stepped up, though, that the doctor cracked. "Haley?"

"Hi Uncle Gary."

"Alright," the elderly man conceded. "But don't tell anyone I let you do this. I'm just going to grab your file, Ms Davis, and I'll be right back."

"Uncle Gary?" Brooke asked when everyone was settled in the exam room.

"He was my grandfather's good friend I've known him since before I can remember." Haley shrugged, leaning back into Nathan's embrace.

"Why'd you wait so long to speak up?" Lucas asked.

"It was funny watching you guys beg."

"Shall we get started?" Dr. Hopewell asked entering the room and interrupting any further conversation.

* * *

"Now," Dr. Hopewell asked slathering gel onto Brooke's stomach. "Would we like to know the sexes of the babies?" Brooke nodded, clutching Jake's hand. "Let's see what we can find out." Everyone watched in rapt attention as the doctor moved the scanner back and forth over Brooke's stomach. "Well, congratulations," He looked up at Brooke and Jake "It looks like you're going to be the parents of a little girl and a little boy."

"I knew it." Skills exclaimed pointing at Nathan. "Pay up."


	20. Chapter Nineteen

_**AN: **I'm really sorry about the wait; my computer's been acting up and I had a scorching case of Writer's Block. But I'm back, have no fear. I wanted to say thank you for all the reviews and that I don't own the song Sooner or Later by Michael Tolcher. It's a really good song the theme song for the show Life As We Know It, an awesome show. I highly recommend it. Oh, and I have nothing against the name Xavion, I know someone named that. The Xavion I know is a weirdo though, that's why I used the name._

* * *

"You guys bet on my children?" Brooke asked angrily. 

"Um, no?" Skills answered, stuffing Nathan's proffered twenty-dollar bill into his pocket. Peyton and Luke smirked as Brooke sent them each a murderous glare.

"Is anybody else in on this?" She almost laughed when Tim raised his hand and Mouth quickly lowered it for him.

"We'll just finish up now..." Dr. Hopewell said, trying to contain his own laughter. He dealt with pregnant women for a living; _these boys had no idea what they were in for_.

* * *

"Everything looks good Brooke." Dr. Hopewell said, flipping his folder closed. "You're still a little underweight though. Have you been eating the protein powder that I suggested?" 

"I'm making sure she does." Jake answered.

"Very good. Now I suggest that you look into some childbirth classes."

"Childbirth classes?"

"Yes," The doctor answered pulling several pamphlets from a drawer in the desk, which Nathan and Haley were currently leaning against. "It's common for women at the halfway point in their pregnancy to join Lamaze or similar groups." Brooke just nodded as the doctor handed her the pamphlets. "I also suggest thinking about names at this point."

"Thanks." Brooke gave him a strained smile before practically running out of the room.

"Thanks Dr. Hopewell." Jake said shaking the doctor's hand. "Thanks for coming guys, but I gotta-"

"Go, man." Lucas said.

"See ya." Jake nodded to the rest of his friends before hurrying after his girlfriend.

* * *

The ride to Jenny's daycare was a silent one. Neither Brooke nor Jake could come up with words to express themselves. Even after Jenny had been strapped into her car seat the only sounds that could be heard were the eight month old's giggling and the rattling of her toys. 

When they finally pulled into Jake's assigned parking space Brooke got out of the car quickly. "I'm, um, I'm just going to go look at the twins' room."

"Brooke-" Jake called, but she didn't turn around as she entered the building. Jake shook his head and unstrapped his daughter. "Come on, baby. You and daddy are going to spend some time together." Jenny giggled excitedly and waved a set of colorful plastic keys in his face. Jake laughed and nuzzled his nose against hers, "I love you."

* * *

Brooke had been sitting in Nathan's old rocking chair, her arms wrapped tightly around her stomach, for close to an hour. She was trying hard not to cry, but looking around the room... She had the best friends. She wasn't entirely sure why she had freaked out in the doctor's office, something inside her had snapped when Dr. Hopewell had told her to start thinking about names. Names made everything so much more... Real. She was sitting in the chair, rocking slowly back and forth when she heard someone enter the room. 

"Hey."

"Hi." She said not turning around. "How'd you get in here?"

"Peyton lent me her key." Lucas said kneeling beside her. "What's going on, Brooke?" He asked laying a hand on her arm.

"Do you think we'll be good parents Luke?"

"I don't know." He said honestly "Why?"

"Look at our parents. I mean, usually your mom's pretty good, but she won't even acknowledge you right now. Your dad's an asshole. And here I am, five months pregnant, moved out of my house, and my parents don't even know."

"We'll have help."

"I guess you're right." Brooke smiled at him.

"So, a boy and a girl." Luke said awkwardly after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah." Brooke smiled faintly, staring into space.

"I want you to name them." Luke said suddenly.

"What?"

"You're doing most of the work-"

"Most?" Brooke asked arching an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, that protein powder doesn't come cheap and the way you've been eating lately..."

"Hey!"

"As long as it's not something too weird..."

"Like?"

"I don't know." Lucas shrugged "In my kindergarten class there was this one kid named Xavion."

"Xavion? What the hell kind of a name is that? Were his parents on drugs or something?"

Lucas scratched his chin and looked into her eyes "Wouldn't surprise me." Brooke laughed and looked away. "Can I just ask one favor?"

"Sure."

"Don't name him Dan."

Luke was halfway out the door before he heard Brooke's soft reply. "I promise."

* * *

Several minutes after Lucas left Brooke made her way into Jake's apartment. She stood quietly in the doorway of Jenny's bedroom and listened as Jake sang quietly to her. 

_Pull the hair back from your eyes _

_Let the people see your pretty face _

_Try not to say anything weird-_

_Save your questions without answers, _

'_Til you're old enough to know _

_That things ain't as they appear_

_Before you go out in the sun _

_Cover your skin and don't get burned _

_Beware the cancer; it might kill you when you're old_

_Be first in line, raise your hand _

_Remember everything you hear _

_And playing in the rain is worth catching cold_

_Sooner or later- we'll be looking back on everything _

_And we'll laugh about it like we knew what all was happening _

_And someday you might listen to what people have to say _

_Now you learn the hard way_

_We only want what's best for you _

_That's why we tell you what to do _

_And never mind if nothing makes sense_

_Cause it all works out in the end _

_You're just like us, without a friend _

_But you can build a privacy fence, yeah_

_Sooner or later- we'll be looking back on everything _

_And we'll laugh about it like we knew what all was happening _

_And someday you might listen to what people have to say _

_Now you learn the hard way_

_Some things, you have to learn them all on your own _

_You can't rely on anybody else _

_Or the point of view of a source unknown _

_If it feels good and it sounds nice, then it's your choice _

_Don't doubt yourself, don't even think twice_

_Pull the hair back from your eyes, _

_Let the people see your pretty face _

_You know they like it when you smile _

_Find a reason to smile_

_Try not to focus on yourself _

_Share that love with someone else _

_Don't let the bitters bring you down, down _

_Don't let anything bring you down_

_Sooner or later- we'll be looking back on everything _

_And we'll laugh about it like we knew what all was happening _

_And someday you might listen to what people have to say _

_Now you learn the hard way_

Brooke smiled when Jake set down his guitar and kissed his daughter on the forehead. "I love you, princess." He grabbed his guitar and started out of the room, he jumped when he saw Brooke standing in the doorway. "Hi."

"Hi." He was startled when she pulled his head down and kissed him fiercely. "Let's go to bed."


	21. Chapter Twenty

"So Lucas left you in charge of names..." Peyton said as she, Haley, and Brooke relaxed on Brooke's dad's boat.

"Yeah." Brooke nodded.

"What are you thinking about?" The blonde asked, zipping up her jacket.

"Not sure yet." Brooke shrugged.

"We should go get some baby name books." Haley said excitedly.

"Any excuse for tutor girl to get into a library..." Brooke joked.

"Hey!" Haley smiled and hit Brooke lightly on the arm.

Brooke stuck her tongue out at the brunette and signaled for the boat's captain to turn back to shore. "What names do you guys suggest?" Brooke asked curiously.

"Girl or boy?"

"Both."

"Hmm..." Haley mused, tapping her chin. "I think... Tyler and Michelle."

Brooke nodded and looked to Peyton. "Gavin for a boy and Fiona for a girl."

"Fiona, wasn't that-"

"My mom's name." Peyton answered quickly.

The rest of the trip went by quietly; each of the girls wrapped up in their own thoughts.

* * *

"So," Haley said as the three girls walked down the street loaded down with books, clothes, baby toys, and rocky road ice cream, Brooke's current craving. "How're things with you and Jake?"

Brooke smiled instantly at the mention of her boyfriend's name. "I think that answers that question." Peyton said nudging her best friend with an elbow.

Brooke nodded "He's different than any guy I've ever been with... Last night I caught him singing to Jenny and I just... melted."

"And..." Peyton urged.

"And what?"

"The sex." Peyton said simply, taking a bite out of her ice cream cone.

"Peyton!" Haley exclaimed.

"Relax tutor girl." Brooke grinned, "We haven't had sex yet."

"What?" Peyton asked stopping mid-stride. "You guys have been together for over two months and you haven't had sex yet?"

"It's not that unbelievable." Haley grumbled.

"It is for Brooke."

"Hey!"

"You know it's true, Brooke." Peyton said as they came up to her car. They loaded their purchases into the trunk and resumed the conversation when they were all settled inside.

"It's not like we've never been close..." Brooke said, grinning. "When Jake gets going... And I definitely want to. This one time we were so close, I mean clothes were thrown across the room, I found my bra behind that monstrosity he calls a couch, when Jake's mom came to drop Jenny off. They had spent the day together..."

"Jake's mom caught you?" Haley laughed.

"No, she didn't catch us. I was hiding in the kitchen. I really don't know what we're waiting for..."

"You're happy, aren't you?" Peyton asked after a minute's silence.

Brooke thought about it for a minute, and then broke out into a grin. "You know what? I think I really am... Wow."

"That makes two out of three." Haley said glancing at Peyton. "What about you Peyton?"

"Yeah Peyt," Brooke pushed "What about you?"

"I'm happy." Peyton said, but it sounded lame even to her.

"New mission." Brooke announced. "Find Peyton a man."

Haley laughed "Here here!"

"You guys-"

"There're a lot of potentials out there." Brooke said to Haley. The brunette nodded in agreement.

"What about Skills."

"Milk chocolate." Brooke nodded approvingly.

"Not my type." Peyton shook her head.

"Hmm... Mouth?"

"Tim." Brooke said. The three burst into laughter.

"Um, no."

* * *

"What'd you guys do today?" Jake asked as the three girls burst into the apartment, laughing. When he entered the living room and saw all the packages he shook his head and sighed. "Never mind."

"Hey." Brooke greeted her boyfriend with a quick kiss. "Would you mind taking these over to my apartment?"

"Sure." He kissed her again before grabbing some of the bags and heading across the hall.

"Aww!" Haley and Peyton teased in unison.

"So cute."

"Shut up!" Brooke grinned, "You guys are just jealous."

"Ha." Haley scoffed, "If Nate and I ever get like that, shoot me."

"I think it's too late for that, tutor girl."

"Hey!" Haley looked at Peyton for support.

"I'm with Brooke on this one." Peyton shrugged, going into the kitchen. "You guys hungry?"

* * *

"Just help yourselves." Jake said sarcastically as he entered the kitchen, Jenny settled contentedly on his right hip. The three looked up from their ice cream.

"Brooke forced me." Haley confessed. "I really didn't want ice cream, but it's all she'll eat."

"Forced you, my ass." Brooke said as the brunette polished of her bowl.

"Honestly, Brooke," Jake admonished, "You have to watch your language. Jenny could start talking any day. Do you want her first word to be ass?"

"That really wouldn't go down well with his mom." Peyton smirked.

"My mom?" Jake asked, doubly confused when Brooke started blushing. "What- you told them!"

"I-" Brooke was cut off when her cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Brooke Rebecca Davis, where the hell are you?"

"Dad?"


	22. Chapter Twentyone

"Of course it's your father." Everyone in the kitchen could hear the man's voice over the phone. "Get your ass home now." Brooke stared at her phone as her father hung up.

"I have to go." Brooke said quietly.

"Do you want us to come?" Peyton asked as Brooke ran franticly around Jake's apartment.

"No!" Brooke exclaimed, angry tears in her eyes. "I- I have to go." She grabbed her jacket off the couch, where she had dropped it earlier.

"I'm coming." Jake said grabbing his coat and following his girlfriend out the door.

"We'll just watch Jenny!" Peyton yelled after the two figures. She saw Jake wave in acknowledgement before he disappeared from her view completely.

* * *

"Go back in there." Brooke shouted at Jake as she fumbled with her car keys. 

"Brooke-"

"No, you can't come!"

"Brooke!"

She turned to him, tears in her eyes. "They screw up everything. If they see you everything will be ruined..."

"Brooke." Jake said again, pulling the hysterical girl into his arms. "They're not going to ruin anything. I love you-"

Brooke pulled out of his arms and stared him in the eye. "You what? What did you say?"

"I-"

"Do you? Did you mean that?"

"I- yes. I do. I meant it. I love you Brooke."

"Oh, God, Jake-"

"Don't say anything." The brunette said pulling her against him. "Not until you're sure."

"Promise to stay in the car?"

Jake nodded and placed a kiss in her hair. "Unless you say otherwise I'm just the getaway driver."

Brooke nodded and handed Jake her car keys. "Let's go."

* * *

Brooke started hyperventilating as Jake pulled into the driveway of her parent's house. "Hey," He said, turning off the car. "It's okay. It'll all be okay." 

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Come in with me."

"Are you sure?"

Brooke nodded. "Come in with me. I need you with me."

"Okay." Jake nodded, "I'm there."

Brooke grabbed Jake's hand again as the two walked up the driveway. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Jake asked when they reached the front door.

"I have to. It's about time, don't you think?" She glanced down at her stomach.

"Let's go then." Jake said smiling weakly. He was trying hard, but he was having a difficult time hiding his own apprehension.

Brooke took a deep breath and pushed open the door. "Dad?" She heard footsteps echoing through the giant house and let go of Jake's hand. "Wait here."

Jake nodded and watched as her parents came into the foyer. Edward Davis III was a formative looking man. At least 6 feet tall, with graying black hair. He carried himself with an air of arrogance that instantly made Jake respect and despise him.

Tracey Davis would have been a striking woman, if not for the look of displeasure, that no amount of plastic surgery could hide, gracing her features. Her hair was a delicate blonde, pulled up into an intricate, expensive, chignon. She wore an expensive silk suit and unbelievably uncomfortable looking heeled sandals. "Brooke." She said emotionlessly, tapping a perfectly manicured finger against her blue silk clad leg.

"Mother." Brooke nodded feeling incredibly inferior wearing jeans, an emerald green sweater, and fur-lined suede jacket.

"Where are all your things, Brooke?"

"What do you mean?"

"We came home to pack for Greece and everything was gone."

"You looked in my room?" Brooke asked, surprised.

"Your mother wanted to find that pair of earrings you took from her."

"Oh." Jake looked incredulously at Brooke's parents. _Were they blind, or did they just not notice that their daughter was over five months pregnant?_

"So," Brooke's father prompted, "Where are your things?"

"I moved out." Brooke said quietly.

"You what?" Edward roared.

"I moved out." Brooke repeated herself.

"I did not give you permission to do that."

"When was I supposed to ask?" Brooke asked, some of her natural sarcasm leaking into the question. "Between your trips to Paris and Greece? Between business trips or plastic surgeries? When?"

"Don't speak to your father that way Brooke." Tracey said apathetically, as if Brooke were 4 years old.

"I'll speak to him any damn way I choose." Brooke growled, "If you hadn't noticed I'm 17 years old. I can take care of myself and anyone else that happens to come along."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Are you blind or stupid?" Brooke asked, echoing the question Jake had asked himself earlier. "Can you not see that I'm pregnant?"

"Pregnant?" Brooke pointed at her stomach. "You little slut-"

"Hey!" Jake pushed forward.

"And I suppose you're the delinquent that impregnated her."

"No, I'm not. You have no right to talk to her that way."

"I have every right." Edward hissed, "She was my daughter."

"Was?" Jake asked, every bit as threatening as the older man.

"You are no longer a part of this family." Edward said, turning to Brooke. "No daughter of mine is going to disgrace the family name this way."

"The 'family name' was disgraced long before I got here." Brooke shouted back. Then she grabbed Jake's hand and stormed out of the house.

When they reached the car, Brooke finally broke down. She looked at Jake, tears streaming down her face. "What am I going to do?"

Jake reached out and pulled her to him. "Don't worry, Brooke. We'll figure it out, okay?" Brooke nodded against his chest. "We'll figure it out."


	23. Chapter Twentytwo

"Hey man," Skills said dribbling a worn, orange basketball. "Isn't that your phone?"

Lucas jogged over to the side of the court and fished his phone out of his backpack. "Yep," He said, flipping the phone open, "It's me. Hello?"

Skills wandered over to the free throw line and started sinking baskets while Lucas had his conversation. When he heard Lucas hang up he turned back to him, surprised to find the blonde looking awestruck. "What's up, man?"

"That was Haley." Luke responded, staring into space. "Brooke's parents are in town."

"And?"

"And Brooke went to talk to them."

"And what?" Skills joked, "Her dad wants to castrate you?"

"Not so much," Lucas shook his head, "They disowned her."

"What?"

Luke nodded absently. "They disowned her, cut her off... everything."

"What's she going to do?"

"I don't know." Luke said honestly, "But I think I have to talk to my mom. I need to go back to work... they're not just her kids."

"You can't just throw money at her Lucas." Skills said angrily.

"Relax, man." Lucas soothed "You know I care about these kids."

"Yeah, I know. It just kind of hits close to home..."

Lucas slung an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Come on, man, let's go home."

"I thought you were going to talk to your mom."

"I'll talk to her tomorrow."

"No you won't... Go talk to her now." Skills pushed his friend away.

"But-"

"Seriously Luke, go talk to your mom."

"I-"

"Go."

* * *

Lucas hesitated as he stood out front of the café. _To go in or not to go in..._ He was standing uncertainly in front of the door when his mom walked over to flip the open sign over. She looked in shock at her son and opened the door. "Lucas..."

"Hi mom."

"What are you- come in."

Lucas walked into the café; careful not to touch his mother on the way in. "We need to talk."

Karen nodded and made her way behind the counter. "Do you want some coffee? Something to eat?"

"No."

"Where have you been staying?" She asked shakily pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"With Skills." Karen nodded. "Look mom, I came here to talk about Brooke."

She nodded and looked up at him blankly. "Okay."

"Her parents came into town yesterday." Karen nodded. "They found out that all her stuff was gone and freaked out."

"All her stuff was gone?" Lucas nodded at her. "Why? Where did she go?"

"She moved out."

"What?"

Lucas nodded, "She has an apartment in Jake's building."

"I see."

"Anyway," Lucas said glancing reproachfully at his mother. "She went to talk to them."

"And what happened?"

"When they found out she was pregnant they disowned her."

"They what?"

"They disowned her. Cut her off, if she hadn't already moved out they would have kicked her out."

"But she-"

Lucas nodded. "She's never worked a day in her life... I don't know how she's going to deal with this. Jake's going to help her out, but he really doesn't work that much anymore... So, basically, what it comes down to is that I came here to ask you for my job back. I have to help her out. They're my kids too."

Karen looked at her son and saw the sincerity in his face when he told her all this. She nodded "I would be more than willing to take you back." Luke smiled hesitatingly at her.

"Thanks mom."

Karen nodded again. "As for Brooke though, I don't need anymore help at the café. We're overstaffed as it is." Luke just looked at his mom as she continued. "But I'm sure Peyton could use some help at Tric."

"Really?"

Karen smiled at him. "I don't exactly know what she could do in her present state, but I'm sure we'll find something."

Luke returned the smile with a genuine smile of his own. "Thanks mom."

Karen watched as he got up. "Where are you going?"

"To Skills'."

"But I thought you'd come home..."

"I can't come home yet mom. I will, but I'm not ready yet."

Karen looked on wordlessly as Lucas exited the café. Then ran after him. "Luke!" Lucas turned around as his mom caught up to him. "I just- I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know." Lucas nodded.

"I'm sorry for before... I was in shock." Luke nodded again. "How- how is the baby? How's Brooke?"

"Brooke's good. Dr. Hopewell said she's a little underweight, but other than that she's fine. The _babies_," He emphasized the word, "Are doing well too. I have an ultrasound, if you want to see."

Karen nodded and took the ultrasound picture Lucas offered her. "Twins..."

Lucas nodded "A boy and a girl."

"Oh, Lucas," Karen shook her head, smiling slightly, "You have no idea what you're in for."


	24. Chapter Twentythree

_**AN:** Thanks to everyone for the reviews. As per popular request the next few chapters will be solely about Brooke and Jake. So here's part one of 'the date'._

* * *

It had been a week since Brooke had talked to her parents. And despite the fact that she hadn't expected it to go well she was taking it pretty hard. Haley and Peyton had tried their best to cheer her up, but it seemed nothing worked. Finally, on the eighth day, Jake decided it was his turn.

* * *

Brooke woke up cold. With her eyes still shut she reached out to Jake's side of the bed and was disappointed to find that he wasn't there. "Jake?" She pulled her hand back quickly, in pain. "What the-" She opened her eyes and looked over to Jake's pillow, "Oh, Jake..." On the pillow, pinned under a note, was a single long stemmed white rose. She sat up, pulling the covers up around her as she did, and unpinned the note from his pillow. She sighed when she read it. 

_Brooke,_

_White symbolizes reverence and innocence. This morning when I woke up and saw you beside me I knew it was the perfect way to tell you that you look like an angel when you sleep._

_Love, Jake_

Brooke picked up the flower gently and smiled. She grabbed the navy blue and yellow Ravens sweatshirt she had stolen from Jake's closet and pulled it on, then she grabbed her rose and started toward the kitchen.

On her way she looked into Jenny's room. She walked up to Jenny's crib, expecting to see the little girl fast asleep, but found another rose. And another note.

_Brooke,_

_I knew you would come in here; you're going to be an amazing mother. Purple is supposed to symbolize enchantment. Enchanted, that's exactly how I feel whenever I see you with my little girl, who is spending the day with her grandma by the way. Hurry up and get ready for the day. I've got a lot planned for us._

_Love, Jake_

The auburn haired girl sighed and picked up the purple rose. This boyfriend of hers was turning out to be quite the romantic.

* * *

The smell of bacon and eggs overwhelmed her when she stepped into the kitchen. She laughed out loud when she saw her meal spread out on the kitchen table. Bacon, eggs, cereal – Frosted Flakes, her favorite – fruit salad, pancakes, toast, anything she could want. She smiled to herself when she saw another rose and note taped to her plate. 

_Brooke,_

_I didn't know exactly what you wanted to eat so I made a bit of everything. Pink is supposed to stand for appreciation and admiration. Well, I admire that fact that you've never tried to cook again since that first incident... Just kidding, I admire so much about you. Enjoy your breakfast._

_I love you, Jake_

She set the three roses beside her plate and piled a bunch of pancakes onto her plate. When she finished eating she put her dishes in the sink and began to clean up. She opened the fridge, to put the juice away, when she came across another note.

_I thought I told you to hurry up. We have lots to do today. A yellow rose is supposed to mean joy and friendship. I never really noticed how lonely my life was until you showed up on my doorstep all those months ago. You've brought joy and friendship to both Jenny and myself and there's no way I could ever thank you enough for that. Now get into the shower and meet me at the River court. I'll see you soon._

_Love, Jake_

She took the yellow rose, which was taped to the ketchup bottle, and added it to the others and hurried to the bathroom. She stripped quickly and took the fastest shower she had ever taken in her entire life. She wrapped a towel around herself when she stepped out of the shower and opened the medicine cabinet, so she could brush her teeth, and found another rose lying next to the toothpaste.

_Hey,_

_Orange stands for fascination and desire. I think that's pretty much self-explanatory._

_See you soon, Jake_

Brooke hurried through the rest of her morning routine until she reached the closet. _What would she wear today? She had no idea what Jake had planned... _She opened the closet and laughed when she found yet another rose pinned to her favorite pink cashmere sweater. Hung next to it was a white tank top and a pair of jeans, which had the obligatory note attached to them.

_Red symbolizes love. I guess this one's pretty self-explanatory too. Get dressed and meet me at the River court. I'll be waiting._

_Love, Jake_

* * *

Brooke was carrying her half dozen roses when she approached Jake at the River court. "I bet you think you're pretty smooth, don't you?" 

"Who me?" Jake asked mock innocently, raising his eyebrows.

Brooke rolled her eyes and kissed Jake passionately. "Thank you."

"'T'was nothing m'lady." He responded in a horrible British accent, bowing.

"So, what are we going to do today?"

"Ah-" he interrupted and produced two more roses from behind his back. "Red and white together are for unity."

Brooke was speechless and let him lead her to his car. "You-"

"I know." Jake flexed and wiggled his eyebrows teasingly at her. "I'm too good."

Brooke snorted and fastened her seatbelt. "Right. So where are we going, hotshot?"

"Surprise."

* * *

Two hours later Brooke was writhing in her seat. "Jake, please... I really have to pee." 

"We're almost there."

"You said that twenty minutes ago." Brooke whined.

"This time I mean it."

"Come on, just pull over. There's a gas station right there."

"You really can't hold it?"

Brooke glared at him. "Do I look like someone who can hold it?"

"Fine." Jake relented. "Pit stop."

"Thank you." Brooke breathed. The car had barely stopped when she jumped out of it, obviously desperate for a washroom.

* * *

Ten minutes later they were back on the road. "That washroom was disgusting."

"You were the one who couldn't wait."

"You were the one who kept lying about how far we had to go."

"Not lying," Jake defended "Exaggerating."

"Whatever." Brooke rolled her eyes. "So how far do we have to go now?"

"We're here."

"We are?"

"We are."

"So where's here?"

"You'll just have to find out." Jake grinned, pulling a blindfold out from the backseat.

"No way."

"What? Peyton told me about your blindfold fetish. Very kinky." He said winking at her.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Jagielski." Jake laughed. "There's no way you're getting that thing on me."

"Come on Brooke, you don't want to ruin the surprise, do you?"

Brooke sighed. "Unless I say otherwise, this is the last time you get to blindfold me."

Jake laughed again. "Promise."


	25. Chapter Twentyfour

Alright, So I apologize fiercely for the super long hiatus. I have no excuse, but Writer's Block. I hope these two chapters are up to par. Please review. And without further ado part two of Brooke and Jake's date.

* * *

"Jake…" Brooke breathed when he took off her blindfold. "It's beautiful… Where are we?"

Jake pulled his girlfriend against him, smiling at the admiration in her voice. The cottage was a fair sized A-frame. The cedar wood home sat beautifully nestled amongst the trees, the ocean only a few hundred feet away. The best part of it though was the gardens, his mother and sister had worked for years to make it look perfect and it was. The riot of colors, the mix of smells… "It's our cottage."

"Yours?" Brooke asked quizzically.

Jake nodded. "My grandparents left it to Ben, Erin, Adam, and I when they died."

Brooke clasped the hand he had laid on her protruding stomach and squeezed it gently. "It's beautiful."

Jake kissed her temple and led her towards the door. "Come on."

* * *

Brooke looked around, impressed by everything she saw. It was just like Jake's apartment; nothing inside was fabulously expensive, but everything looked so comfortable… A home, that's what it was, another home. She walked over to the fireplace to examine the seemingly hundreds of photos on it. She picked one up and smiled softly, tracing the faces in it.

Jake followed her and laughed at the picture in her hand. "I was four."

Brooke smirked, "And look at that cowlick…"

"Hey!" he tickled her sides lightly.

"So?"

"So?"

"So, what are you guys doing?"

"We were playing." Jake shrugged, "Cowboys and Indians. Ben was fourteen, so he didn't really want to play with us unless he got to be the chief Indian. Adam and Noah were the cowboys and Erin was a princess."

"A princess?"

Jake shrugged again "She was eleven and could wrestle better than any of us, so she got to be whatever she wanted."

"I think I'm going to like meeting your sister." Jake laughed. "So, Ben was the Indian, Adam and Noah were the Cowboys, and Erin was the Princess. What were you?" she looked at him inquiringly when he mumbled something under his breath. "I didn't get that. What were you?"

"The damsel."

Brooke tried to hold in her laughter, but failed miserably. "I'm sorry? The what?"

"The damsel." Jake answered bitterly "Adam and Noah said that the cowboys had to rescue somebody and Erin refused to be rescued, so…"

"You got to be the damsel in distress." Brooke finished.

"I was four!" Jake defended himself, "I didn't have much of a choice." Brooke just continued to laugh. "It's not that funny."

Brooke grabbed his hand as he started to walk away. "I'm sorry." She placed the picture back on the mantle carefully. Jake shook his head and waited as she struggled to keep her laughter under control.

"Come on."

"Where're we going?"

"Tour."

* * *

Brooke was curled up on the large window seat when Jake re-entered the bedroom. "Whatcha looking at?"

"The ocean" she murmured as he walked up behind her.

"Wanna go for a boat ride?"

She looked at the choppy ocean water then down at her very pregnant stomach. "I-"

"Not on the ocean… there's this creek-"

Brooke nodded and tugged gently on his shirt, pulling him down to her. She smiled, and then kissed him deeply. "Let's just stay here…"

Jake grinned blissfully, kissed her again, and picked her up. Even six months pregnant she was pretty light. "Okay… let's just stay here…"

* * *

Several hours later Brooke was lying contentedly in Jake's arms. "Have I thanked you yet, for bringing me here?"

"Mmm hmm." He said, kissing her bare shoulder. "But you could show me… again." Brooke grinned wickedly and wiggled her backside against her boyfriend's pelvis. "Brooke…" he groaned.

"I'm hungry." Jake groaned again.

"Brooke-"

"Feed me."

The brunette smiled mischievously before snatching all the blankets and sheets and wrapping them around his waist.

"Jake!" Brooke screeched, frantically trying to cover her naked body.

"Be right back."

"Jacob!" She groped around for something to wear; wondering how the hell her jeans wound up under the bed and her bra ended up in the hallway. "Jacob Jagielski! That was not funny-" She was left speechless as she entered the kitchen/dining room and saw Jake lighting the candles he had set up around the room. There were piles of food spread over the long dining room table and the roses Brooke had gathered earlier were in a clear glass vase in the center of it all. "Oh, Jake…"

He shot a crooked smile in her direction "Took you a while to find your clothes…"

"Yeah, well, somehow my underwear ended up in the washroom across the hall."

Jake blushed as Brooke grabbed a dill pickle off a plate and spread a liberal dose of mustard on it. "Eww, Brooke that's gross."

"What?" she looked at the yellow-coated pickle and shrugged. "Relax, Jake, you eat mustard and pickles together on hamburgers all the time…"

"First of all, no I do not; mustard is gross, and second of all I was talking about your underwear. I'm trying to eat here."

Brooke punched him in the shoulder. "You're the one who threw them-"

Jake chuckled and pulled her against him. "I was just kidding." He lightly ran his fingers along the unbuttoned waistband of her jeans and kissed her briefly "You know I like them." Brooke grinned as he kissed her again. "But I like you better without them…"

"Jacob!" Brooke said in a fake scandalized tone. "Now's hardly the time to be talking that way." She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around her stomach. "And around my babies… Tsk tsk." She wagged a finger at him, in a remarkable imitation of his second grade teacher. She sat down and began piling various foods onto her plate. "Oh, and by the way, have fun finding your clothes."

"What?" Brooke didn't glance up from her plate, where she was diligently covering pickles in all the condiments she could find. "Brooke, what did you do?"

She looked at him and smirked before taking a bite of a plum sauce covered pickle. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

* * *

"Davis." Jake stomped into the kitchen carrying a sopping mass of clothes.

"Yes Jake?"

"You put them in the sink."

"What are you talking about?"

The brunette grinned mischievously before heaving the wet clothes at her head. "That's what I'm talking about."

Brooke sat completely still, not even bothering to remove the soaking wet sock stuck to the side of her head. "Oh, no you didn't."

Jake crossed his arms over his chest. "You put my clothes in the sink."

"You took all the blankets! And the sheets!" Jake just smirked at her. "You'd better run, Jagielski."

"Like you could catch me." He said arrogantly, gesturing to her stomach.

"You so did not just call me fat." Jake grinned at her. "You'd better run." She said, springing out of her chair with surprising agility for a girl six months pregnant. Jake's grin faltered as the red head charged at him.

"Brooke?"

"Run." She repeated.


	26. Chapter Twentyfive

_So the song in this chapter is by Blue Rodeo. To all loyal readers who never gave up on me, I've already started on the next chapter. Enjoy._

* * *

Jake watched Brooke stretch languidly, the firelight reflecting off her dark auburn hair. He kissed her stomach as she sat up, the sheet pooling about her waist. "You're beautiful." She smiled down at him, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that it was forced. "Brooke?" Brooke looked at him. Jake. Her Jake… "Are you alright? What's wrong?" 

"Jake, I…" She looked around the room, wracking her brain for ways to bring up the topic weighing heavily on her mind. "This… this was… amazing…"

"Brooke…" Jake said sitting up quickly. He reached out to touch her and was slightly hurt when she pulled away.

"No, Jake, you can't touch me… I'll lose my head," she smiled wryly, "then I'll never be able to get this out…"

"What is it?"

"I- did you plan this? Was this," she gestured between them, accentuating their nakedness "the reason you brought me here?"

"What?" Jake's eyes darkened slightly in anger "No, I would never! I can't believe you-" He stood up and wrapped one of the sheets around his waist. "How could you think that?"

"I-" She looked up at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "You- you said before… You told me that- that you love me. Was it- Did you mean it?"

Jake kneeled next to her and cupped her cheek with his hand. "Brooke." He turned her face towards him and looked into her eyes. He was definitely surprised by the amount of vulnerability he saw there.

"I just… No one's ever said it to me before- well people have said it… Nobody's ever said it and meant it… and I-"

Jake smiled at her and kissed her softly. It wasn't a kiss filled with lust or passion; it was something she'd never felt before. "I meant it. I mean it now. I love you Brooke." He brushed some stray hair from her face and kissed her again. "I love you, and your babies…"

Brooke smiled brilliantly, and despite the tears streaming down her face looked the happiest she'd ever been. She wrapped her arms around his waist tightly and pressed her tear stained face against his chest. "Jake-"

He shook his head and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Don't say anything yet. I've got something else for you."

Brooke nodded and watched as he left the room. She shivered, despite the fire, and pulled the sheet Jake had left for her up and around her shoulders.

"Cold?" Jake asked, returning, guitar in hand.

"No." Brooke smiled softly, "I'm fine."

Jake smiled back and sat directly across from her, placing his guitar in his lap. "Okay, so it might be kind of cheesy, but I kind of wrote a song…"

"A song?" Jake blushed slightly and nodded. "Well," She asked after a few seconds of silence "Are you going to sing it for me, or are you just going to sit there?"

Jake smiled and plucked lightly at the guitar strings. "Okay," he breathed "here goes."

_Strange and beautiful_

_Are the stars tonight_

_That dance around your head_

_In your eyes I see that perfect world_

_I hope that doesn't sound too weird_

_And I want all the world to know_

_That your love's all I need_

_All that I need_

_And if we're lost,_

_Then we are lost together_

_Yeah, if we're lost,_

_Then we are lost together_

_I stand before this faceless crowd_

_And I wonder why I bother_

_So much controlled by so few_

_Stumbling from one disaster to another_

_I've heard it all so many times before_

_It's all a dream to me now_

_A dream to me now_

_And if we're lost,_

_Then we are lost together_

_Yeah, if we're lost,_

_Then we are lost together_

_In the silence of this whispered night_

_I listen only to your breath_

_And that second of a shooting star_

_Somehow it all makes sense_

_And I want all the world to know_

_That your love's all I need_

_All that I need_

_And if we're lost,_

_Then we are lost together_

_Yeah, if we're lost,_

_Then we are lost together_

Brooke stared at her boyfriend, tears streaming down her face. "Stop making me cry, you asshole." She smiled and hit him lightly on the shoulder.

He looked at her for a minute, studying her face. "Brooke?"

His unasked question was answered when she flung herself at him. "You are… the most romantic guy in the world…"

"I-"

"I love you too."

"What? Brooke-"

"No. I do. I love you. Wow, I've never said that before… I love you… I-" Jake kissed her, effectively cutting off her rambling. The two of them laid down together, Brooke's head pillowed on Jake's chest. And Jake ran his fingers through her hair. "This is by far the best date I've ever had."

* * *

When Brooke and Jake finally arrived home, to Tree Hill, they could hardly keep their hands off each other. Jake had an arm settled firmly about her waist when they entered his apartment and Brooke had her own hand tucked into his back pocket. 

Peyton, who was caring for Jenny recognized their new closeness instantly. "You two had sex."

Jake started blushing instantly, while Brooke just stared. "We didn't-"

"Oh no," Peyton smirked, moving Jenny to her other hip "You guys had sex, don't try to deny it…"

"Stop saying sex, Peyton. Do you want it to be Jenny's first word or something?"

Peyton had the decency to blush at Brooke's reprimand. "You did though…"

Jake cleared his throat and reached out to take Jenny. "I'm just going to… go." He snatched his daughter from Peyton's arms and hurried down the hall. Brooke smirked when she heard her boyfriend barricade himself in his daughter's nursery. She glanced at Peyton and without saying a word waltzed into the kitchen.

"Brooke." Peyton whined, following her best friend.

"Peyton." Brooke mimicked.

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"You had sex and you won't tell me… I don't believe this…"

"I love him."

"What?" Peyton was floored by Brooke's simple statement.

"I love him."

"Wow," Brooke nodded. "So, does he- Did you tell him?" Brooke nodded again. "And he?" Brooke kept nodding, unable to speak. "Okay," Peyton said seriously "first you're going to have to stop nodding, because you look like a bobble-head doll. And second, we have to go find Haley and you have to tell us every detail."

Brooke stuck her tongue out at her friend for calling her a bobble-head, then nodded again, just to get on the blonde's nerves. "I just gotta change first; remind me, no more jeans. I'm getting too big."

Peyton just laughed.

* * *

"Oh my God…" Peyton said wistfully. "He really did all that?" Brooke nodded and swiped her french fry through a blob of mustard. 

"Do you think you could get him to give Nathan some lessons or something?"

Brooke laughed and licked a bit of mustard off her finger. "I think I liked the Rocky Road craving better." Peyton said scrunching up her nose.

"Hmm? Oh," Brooke said, "at least I'm past the tuna thing." She grimaced "I hate fish. They're all cold and slimy and… fishy…" She shivered.

Haley and Peyton glanced at each other and both burst out laughing. "Fish are fishy?"

Brooke glared at her two friends. "Listen I'm all hormonal and hopped up on the best sex I've ever had… you can't expect me to just shoot out adjectives right and left…"

Haley laughed and put an arm around the red head's shoulders. "Come on Brooke, I've got to go pick up my paycheck, but I want to hear more about the amazing sex."

Peyton nodded and followed the two "Me too."

Brooke grinned "Okay… Have you ever had a guy kiss the inside of your knee?"


	27. Chapter Twentysix

Brooke stopped laughing as soon as the three reached Karen's Café. "Haley? I thought we were going to get your paycheck."

"We are." Haley said, exchanging a glance with Peyton.

"You work at Karen's." Brooke groaned in realization.

"For years."

"I can't go in there."

"Brooke…" Peyton said worriedly.

"No," Brooke said backing away, "You do remember what happened the last time we were here, don't you? I'll remind you; none of it was good."

"Brooke…" Peyton said again, this time much more impatiently.

"Peyton-"

"Luke's working here again." Haley blurted out suddenly.

"What?" Brooke and Peyton both looked at Haley in surprise.

"Um," a foreign voice interrupted Haley's attempt at an explanation. "Excuse me…"

"We're trying to have a conversation here." Brooke told the stranger.

"Um…"

"Go away." Brooke said shooing the man away, as one would a pesky dog.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"Listen," Brooke turned towards the man "explain what you want and go away." She crossed her arms over her chest and began tapping her foot impatiently. "Well?"

"You're standing in front of the doorway."

"What?"

Peyton smiled apologetically at the man, "We're really sorry." She grabbed both Haley and Brooke and led them away from the door. "Okay," She rounded on Haley when the three of them were a sufficient distance from the door. "Explain."

"Well, I don't know the whole story, but as soon as Luke found out about… well, you know, the whole thing with your mother and father…" Brooke nodded impatiently. "He came here to ask his mom for his job back. He thought you might need the extra money…"

Peyton and Haley both watched Brooke carefully, anxious to see her reaction. The red head placed a hand on her stomach and shook her head, but her friends were pleased to notice, there was a slight smile on her face. Her expression changed suddenly as she looked anxiously at Haley. "So, Karen… is she, you know… how did she…" She looked up at the grinning brunette and glared. "Haley."

"Yes, Brooke?"

"You know what I'm trying to ask you."

Haley nodded and struggled to hold in her mirth "I do, but please continue anyway."

"Look, Tutor Girl, do you really want to get into this with me?"

Peyton watched, amusedly, as Haley paled. "Uh, I don't really know much Brooke. Honest. Luke just told me that he got his job back from his mom…"

"Come on, Brooke," Peyton urged, "just go in. When have you ever been afraid of anything?"

Brooke looked uncertainly at her friend before shaking her head and squaring her shoulders. She nodded at Peyton and linked arms with Haley. "You're right. Let's go Tutor Girl."

* * *

"Hey Karen!" Haley called out as she entered the café.

"Haley?"

"Yeah. Where are you?"

Peyton and Brooke hung back as their friend approached the counter. "I'm in the kitchen. If you're looking for your paycheck it's-" Karen's voice trailed off when she spotted Brooke. "It's…"

"In the back." Haley filled in, uncomfortably, "I know."

Peyton glanced between Karen and her best friend uneasily. "Uh, Hale, why don't I-"

"Yeah." The brunette nodded wildly. "Come on."

"Brooke." Karen greeted uneasily, not even noticing as Haley and Peyton hurried into the kitchen. Or as the few Sunday customers made their way out of the café.

"Karen." Brooke's shaky voice was much more confident than she was, which was saying a lot.

Karen set the tray of pastries she was carrying down on the counter. "You look…"

"Fat?" Brooke asked sarcastically.

The older brunette smiled slightly despite the tension between them. "Would you like to sit?" she gestured to one of the stools.

Brooke watched as the café owner flipped the sign to 'closed' before sitting down gratefully. "So…"

Karen sat next to the pregnant girl and gave her one of the fresh pastries. Brooke accepted it and began to eat slowly as Karen struggled to find words. "Brooke," she began slowly, "I overreacted. I apologize for that. I just…"

Brooke looked at Karen wearily "It's probably not something a mother wants to hear about her teenage son."

Karen smiled ruefully "No. Not really." She sighed, "I'm sorry Brooke."

The red head grinned. "Hey, it wouldn't be Tree Hill if there was no drama, right?" Karen chuckled. "I heard Luke asked for his job back." Brooke said after a few minutes of silence.

Karen nodded. "He said he wanted to help you out."

Brooke placed a protective hand on her belly. "That's what Haley told me too."

"I don't need anyone else here at the café, but I could probably think up something for you to do at Tric."

Brooke shook her head. "That's nice of you Karen, really, but I'll be okay. Besides Doctor Hopewell told me I'd have to start doing school by correspondence soon anyway. I probably wouldn't be of much use to you."

"How far along are you?" Karen asked curiously.

"About 26 weeks." Brooke answered, rubbing her belly. "The doc said that with twins it's important not to go into preterm labor."

Karen nodded. "Lucas was early."

"Really?"

"By about a month. He was in an incubator for two weeks." She paused for a second. "It was the scariest two weeks of my life."

Brooke's eyes locked with Karen's and in that moment the two women felt a strong bond. It was a mixed feeling of pride and love and fear that only another mother would know. The auburn haired girl's eyes widened suddenly, startling Karen. "Whoa…"

"What is it?" A smile lit Brooke's face. She grabbed Karen's hand and placed it on her stomach. Karen's concerned look shifted into a smile as she felt one of the babies kick against her hand. "Is that the-"

Brooke nodded gleefully "I've been feeling it for a while, but no one else has been able to." Haley and Peyton chose that minute to reenter the café. Brooke grinned at the two and waved them over excitedly. "Guys, come here!" She placed one of each of their hands on her belly. "Can you feel it?"

A slow smile spread across Peyton's face. "Brooke-"

Haley squealed when she felt one of the babies kick her palm. "Oh my God! Brooke!"

Karen slipped noiselessly from the room as the three girls started jumping up and down in their excitement.

* * *

It took a full ten minutes for the girls to calm down enough to realize that Karen was no longer in the room. "Where's Karen?" It was Peyton who asked the question on all of their minds.

"I don't know." Brooke looked around the room.

"I'll go check upstairs." Haley suggested.

"No need." Karen said, coming back into the café. "I'm right here."

"Karen?" Brooke asked, confused, as the older woman set a wrapped package in front of her.

"Open it."

Brooke was speechless. "Karen…" The small white and green teddy bear was wrapped in a soft blue blanket, while the yellow and pink bear was wrapped in a pink blanket. Each of the bears had a small silver bracelet fastened around their necks.

"Lucas told me you didn't have names yet, so you can get them engraved when you do… I just thought they might want something from their grandma."

Brooke hugged the older woman tightly; there were tears in both of their eyes. "They're perfect."

* * *

It was half an hour later when the girls left the café. Karen leaned heavily against the door and wiped at her cheek as another tear fell. She smiled as she turned off the lights. "I'm gonna be a grandma." 


End file.
